SpaceX plans to turn the Starbase space complex in Texas into a full-fledged city. In a letter to Cameron County Judge Eddie Treviño Jr., the company has requested an election to grant Starbase city status.
“Starbase is the design and manufacturing center for the Starship spacecraft that will change humanity’s access to space. We’ve already invested billions of dollars in infrastructure, created hundreds of jobs and are generating significant revenue for the local economy. We now aim to make South Texas the gateway to Mars,” the letter said.
SpaceX HQ will now officially be in the city of Starbase, Texas! https://t.co/zpN4t3mJQT
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 13, 2024
SpaceX believes that in order to rapidly develop Starship to build one rocket a day in the future, it needs to develop Starbase as a community. Granting city status will facilitate the creation of infrastructure and living conditions for employees working on the future of space exploration.
The idea of creating a city is not new. Elon Musk first talked about it in 2021, but this request was the first official step in this direction. The judge noted that the legal department would review the petition for compliance with the law before further action.
The initiative has caused controversy among local residents and environmentalists. SpaceX is accused of polluting the environment and destroying the ecosystem around the base. The company assures that the granting of city status will not affect its conservation commitments.
The step is similar to the decision by the Japanese city of Koromo, which changed its name to Toyota in 1959 to reflect the carmaker’s role in the local economy. If Starbase becomes a city, its name will no longer be associated only with a place “near Boca Chica, Texas.” This will be an important milestone in the development of both the company and the region.
Earlier we reported on how the moment of Starship rocket launch into space could be seen from the ISS.
Provided by AP News
