SpaceX, the aerospace company founded by billionaire Elon Musk, has put forth a proposal to transform its Starbase site in South Texas into a fully incorporated city. The request was made in a letter sent to local officials, seeking an election to formalize the area known as Starbase, where SpaceX constructs and launches its Starship rockets.
The Starbase location is situated at Boca Chica Beach in southern Texas, near the Mexican border. Earlier this year, Musk announced plans to relocate the headquarters of SpaceX and his social media company X from California to Texas, citing the need for a larger workforce to support the rapid development and production of the Starship.
In the letter addressed to Cameron County, Kathryn Lueders, the general manager of Starbase, emphasized the necessity of expanding the community to accommodate the growing workforce. The proposal aims to establish Starbase as the newest city in the Rio Grande Valley region.
The request to incorporate Starbase as a city is not a new concept, as Musk had previously mentioned the idea in a social media post in 2021. Currently, over 3,400 full-time SpaceX employees and contractors are based at the Starbase site, as indicated in a local impact study released earlier this year.
Despite SpaceX's significant presence and contributions to the region, there have been concerns raised by some locals. A group called Save RGV filed a lawsuit against SpaceX in July, alleging environmental violations and the discharge of polluted water into the nearby bay. SpaceX refuted these claims, stating that a state review had found no environmental risks and dismissing the lawsuit as 'frivolous'.
The proposal to establish Starbase as an incorporated city reflects SpaceX's commitment to further integrating its operations within the Texas community and fostering continued growth and development in the region.
