Foto REUTERS/Steve Nesius
The complex will be located on Pecan Island on a site covering approximately 125,000 acres (50,600 hectares)—more than eight times the size of Manhattan, according to Reuters. In the future, SpaceX expects to conduct thousands of Starship launches here each year.
Ultimately, the site will feature 10 launch pads, as well as infrastructure for fuel production, power generation, and spacecraft maintenance and refurbishment.
Louisiana will become the fourth U.S. state where SpaceX will have launch infrastructure. Currently, Starship launches from the company’s facility in South Texas, and two more complexes are under construction in Florida.
The new base is expected to play a key role in SpaceX’s plans to expand Starlink and launch satellite systems capable of processing data using artificial intelligence. Starship is also viewed as a key component of NASA’s “Artemis” lunar program.
The project will create more than 3,000 direct jobs in the region over the next 10 years, with an average annual salary of about $92,600. In addition, Louisiana officials expect another 8,100 indirect jobs to be created among contractors and suppliers.
However, the construction will impact a sensitive ecological area. Pecan Island consists of wetlands and serves as a habitat for dozens of species of migratory birds. SpaceX has stated that a significant portion of the area will remain untouched, and the company will fund the restoration of the wetlands and shoreline.
The project’s implementation was preceded by the resolution of a long-standing dispute over the area. Local authorities accused ExxonMobil of contributing to the loss of wetlands through oil production and dredging operations. In June, the parties reached an agreement, and in July, the court dismissed the case, clearing the way for SpaceX to move forward with its plans.
