TLDR
- SpaceX plans to invest $100 billion to build Starbase Louisiana in Vermilion Parish, on 125,000 acres at a former Exxon property
- The facility will include five launch complexes, fuel production, deep-water shipping, and possibly an airport
- SpaceX stock rose about 2% to close at $137.95 following the announcement
- The company expects construction to begin in 2027, with the first launch targeted for 2029
- SpaceX projects 3,000 direct jobs and 8,100 indirect jobs for Louisiana over 10 years
SpaceX stock rose about 2% to close at $137.95 on Tuesday after the company announced plans to build a $100 billion spaceport in Vermilion Parish, Louisiana.
Space Exploration Technologies Corp., SPCX
The facility, called Starbase Louisiana, will sit on 125,000 acres at a former Exxon property.
SpaceX said the site will have five launch complexes, each with two launchpads. It will also include fuel production and storage, power generation, vehicle processing, and deep-water shipping capabilities. Housing and possibly an airport are also planned.
$SPCX just revealed what its new Starbase, Louisiana spaceport is expected to look like.
The scale is absolutely insane and shows how aggressively SpaceX is building for much higher Starship launch cadence.
pic.twitter.com/S45IWavVMi— Shay Boloor (@StockSavvyShay) August 25, 2026
Construction is expected to begin in 2027. The first launch is targeted for 2029.
The announcement came via a joint statement from SpaceX and the Louisiana Economic Development office. Governor Jeff Landry called the project a boost for local families and communities.
SpaceX said the project will create 3,000 direct jobs in Louisiana over 10 years. The state estimates another 8,100 indirect jobs will follow.
Elon Musk said in a video posted to the company’s website that SpaceX would bring “probably 10,000 really exciting jobs” to Louisiana.
What This Means for Starship
Starbase Louisiana will serve as the primary launch facility for Starship, SpaceX’s in-development rocket and the largest ever built. The rocket is designed to be fully reusable.
Starship has not yet flown a commercial mission. The $100 billion commitment is a phased investment over time, not an upfront payment.
SpaceX has already been spending heavily. The company spent $28.5 billion on capital projects in the first half of 2026 alone, much of it on compute infrastructure for its AI unit, SpaceXAI.
Revenue growth has been strong. SpaceX brought in $7.8 billion in Q2 2026, up 92% year over year. Starlink doubled active subscribers to 12 million in a year.
Environmental Questions Ahead
The site includes sensitive coastal wetlands. SpaceX says it will leave portions undeveloped and work with state agencies on habitat protection.
The company has a complicated environmental history. In 2024, SpaceX was found to have violated the Clean Water Act at its Texas launch facility. It also faced backlash over damage to wildlife habitat following Starship’s first test flight in April 2023.
Louisiana passed laws earlier this year making unauthorized entry into a spaceport a felony, and offering financial incentives to aerospace companies. Governor Landry signed those bills, which became law in May.
SpaceX says it will partner with Louisiana on “historic coastal restoration” to protect wetlands around the new site.
Louisiana marks SpaceX’s fourth launch site. The company has previously expanded into Texas, Tennessee, and Mississippi.
SpaceX currently holds about 82% of all commercial launches globally, according to Motley Fool Research.
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