FILE - The SpaceX logo is displayed at a SpaceX facility on August 04, 2026 in Hawthorne, California. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
SpaceX on Tuesday announced its plans to build its largest rocket launch site in southern Louisiana.
SpaceX site in Louisiana
Dig deeper:
The site would be about a $100 billion investment for the company and could ultimately support thousands of Starship flights each year.
The complex would include launch pads and vehicle processing facilities, as well as systems to produce methane fuel and generate power. The tech company is also considering an airport and deep-water shipping capabilities to transport Starships from Texas, Reuters reported.
Construction will begin next year and the first Starship will launch in 2029, the company said.
Thousands of potential jobs
Big picture view:
It will be named Starbase Louisiana and is estimated to create more than 3,000 jobs.
The new site will be SpaceX’s fourth launch location and its second Starbase campus, according to Reuters.
Pecan Island is a protected habitat
Local perspective:
The site would be located on a 125,000-acre plot on Pecan Island.
Pecan Island is also a protected habitat for dozens of migratory bird species.
SpaceX’s President Gwynne Shotwell said the company would help fund environmental protection efforts.
What they're saying:
"In working with the state, we’re planning thousands of acres of marsh creation using beneficial-use placement of dredged material and offshore sediment sources," the SpaceX website said.
The Source: Information for this article was taken from Reuters and FOX Business. This story was reported from San Jose.