By Michael Austin September 8, 2026 at 5:00am
SpaceX plans to create a $100 billion rocket launch site in Louisiana, which would support thousands of Starship flights every single year.
The rocket company plans to build the site in Vermilion Parish, marking the second Starbase campus and fourth SpaceX launch location in the United States, per a report from Fox Business.
The site will start construction in 2027 and allow for launches in 2029.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk predicted in an announcement video that Starbase Louisiana would eventually create “probably 10,000 really exciting jobs” in the state.
Louisiana Republican Gov. Jeff Landry called the announcement “a day for the history books.”
A day for the history books!
With @SpaceX’s $100 billion investment in Louisiana, we are proving that Louisiana is open— open to new jobs, honest wages, and to those who dare to build something that lasts. pic.twitter.com/9IFlp9wR2e
— Governor Jeff Landry (@LAGovJeffLandry) August 25, 2026
He added that the $100 billion investment shows Louisiana is “open to new jobs, honest wages, and to those who dare to build something that lasts.”
Beyond launch pads and vehicle processing facilities, Starbase Louisiana would be able to produce methane fuel.
Reuters reported that SpaceX will likely build an airport and deep-water shipping infrastructure to move rockets from Texas to Louisiana.
The current site in Vermilion Parish is marshland roughly eight times the size of Manhattan.
Introducing Starbase, Louisiana – a high-cadence launch site that will enable Starship to open a pathway to the stars for humanity.
Thank you to @LAGovJeffLandry and the great people of Louisiana for all of their support as we work together on this audacious project →… pic.twitter.com/hq308hvg2g
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) August 25, 2026
SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell said that “very large portions” will remain marshland, with launch infrastructure spread throughout the area.
Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Susan Bourgeois said that SpaceX has been discussing acquiring the 18-mile strip of coastal land since February.
Reuters noted that beyond launch facilities, SpaceX has built other infrastructure across the southern United States in recent years, including data centers in Tennessee and Mississippi.
The initial 3,000 jobs brought by the facility are expected to each bring an average salary of $92,600, which is 192 percent higher than the current average wage of Vermilion Parish.
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Michael wrote for several entertainment news outlets before joining The Western Journal in 2020. He now serves as Managing Editor, which involves managing the editorial team and operations, guiding the publication’s editorial direction, and writing, editing, curating and assigning stories as needed.
Birthplace
Ames, Iowa
Nationality
American
Education
Iowa State University
Topics of Expertise
Cultural Politics, Pop Culture, Christian-Conservatism
