Starbase, Texas: SpaceX City Nearly Official After Landslide Vote

SpaceX wants a company town, and the firm may get it after a vote among residents is certified, expected in mid-May.

Jack Daleo

Wednesday, May 07, 2025 at 06:30 AM ET

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Jack Daleo

Starbase is home to launch facilities for SpaceX’s gargantuan Starship rocket and Super Heavy booster. [Courtesy: SpaceX]

Key Takeaways:

Residents of the Starbase area in Texas voted overwhelmingly to incorporate it as an official city, giving the municipality powers over SpaceX's primary Starship launch facility.
The new city's leadership positions are filled by SpaceX employees and affiliates, reflecting the company's strong influence among the area's predominantly SpaceX-connected voters.
The incorporation and SpaceX's expansion plans face opposition from environmental groups, who express concerns over public beach access, habitat damage, and past environmental violations.

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“Starbase, Texas is now a real city!” SpaceX CEO Elon Musk wrote Saturday in celebration of his company’s latest victory.

Residents of an unincorporated area in southern Texas voted overwhelmingly Saturday to transform SpaceX’s Starbase launch facility and surrounding area into an official city. The vote passed with 212 in favor and only six against, creating a new municipality that will serve as the launch site for SpaceX’s Starship—the largest and most powerful rocket ever flown.