SpaceX wants to turn Starbase into a city

SpaceX sent a letter to local authorities on December 12 requesting to hold a vote to convert Starbase, where the company is building and launching Starship rockets, into a recognized city in Texas. This proposal was made based on recommendations from area residents. The Starbase facility located near Boca Chica, Texas, will become the company’s new headquarters in the move from California to Texas, according to Space.

“To continue to grow the workforce needed to rapidly develop and produce Starship, we need to turn Starbase into a community,” SpaceX said. “That’s why we are asking Cameron County to hold a vote to incorporate Starbase as the newest city in the Rio Grande Valley.”

The petition will be heard by Judge Eddie Treviño Jr. of Cameron County. In the next step, the authorities will review the petition to determine whether the petition complies with legal regulations or not. A vote will then be held to merge Starbase.

Starbase serves as the key launch site for SpaceX’s Starship test flights to demonstrate reusable rocket technology. The most recent launch on November 19 marked the sixth test flight of the Starship launch vehicle. Starship successfully ignited a Raptor engine in space for the first time for de-orbiting. Currently, SpaceX is preparing for the 7th test flight in January 2025 with an effort to recover the booster rocket at the launch site.

Thousands of SpaceX employees work at Starbase, with several hundred living on-site. According to the company, the Starbase facility generates hundreds of millions of dollars in income and taxes for businesses and local governments. Due to the remote location of the launch site, SpaceX contributes to managing roads and infrastructure in the area, supporting schools and providing medical care to residents through an agreement with the county. Expected to “fundamentally change humanity’s access to space”, SpaceX aims to turn the Starbase facility into a “Gateway to Mars”.

Previously, in 2021, SpaceX founder Elon Musk shared the idea of ​​turning Starbase into a city by 2021. However, it was not until December 12 that the petition was submitted to the authorities with the support of the authorities. support from Starbase residents.