SpaceX Starbase βpreviously, SpaceX South Texas Launch Site and SpaceX private launch site βis an industrial complex and rocket launch facility that serves as the main testing and production location for Starship launch vehicles , as well as the headquarters of the American aerospace manufacturer SpaceX. When initially conceptualized in the early s, its stated purpose was "to provide SpaceX an exclusive launch site that would allow the company to accommodate its launch manifest and meet tight launch windows.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk indicated in that he expected " commercial astronauts , private astronauts, to be departing from South Texas," [ 5 ] and eventually launching spacecraft to Mars from the site.
Between and , SpaceX considered seven potential locations around the United States for the new commercial launch facility. For much of this period, a parcel of land adjacent to Boca Chica Beach near Brownsville, Texas, was the leading candidate location, during an extended period while the US Federal Aviation Administration FAA conducted an extensive environmental assessment on the use of the Texas location as a launch site. Also during this period, SpaceX began acquiring land in the area, purchasing approximately 41 acres , m 2 and leasing 57 acres , m 2 by July SpaceX announced in August that they had selected the location near Brownsville as the location for the new non-governmental launch site, [ 7 ] after the final environmental assessment was completed and environmental agreements were in place by July SpaceX conducted a groundbreaking ceremony on the new launch facility in September , [ 11 ] [ 5 ] and soil preparation began in October In late , construction ramped up considerably, and the site saw the fabrication of the first 9 m-diameter 30 ft prototype test vehicle , Starhopper , which was tested and flown MarchβAugust Through , additional prototype flight vehicles were being built at the facility for higher-altitude tests.
By late , over 2, full-time employees were working at the site. On December 12, , SpaceX filed an official request to Cameron County authorities to have the site incorporated as a new city, named Starbase.
Private discussions between SpaceX and state officials about a private launch site began at least as early as The company announced in August that they had chosen Texas as the location for their SpaceX South Texas launch site. The name Starbase began to be used more widely by SpaceX and news media after March , when SpaceX had some discussions described as a "casual enquiry" about incorporating a city in Texas to be called Starbase.
