Comparison
Starbase Louisiana vs Starbase Texas
Last updated
Texas is the site that flies today. Louisiana is the site that was just announced. Boca Chica in Cameron County, Texas is SpaceX's operating Starship development and launch site. Starbase Louisiana, announced August 25, 2026 on Pecan Island, is described by SpaceX as its fourth and largest launch facility, and nothing has been built there yet.
Side by side
| Starbase Louisiana | Starbase Texas | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Pecan Island, Vermilion Parish, Louisiana | Boca Chica, Cameron County, Texas |
| Status | Announced August 25, 2026, nothing built | Operating Starship site |
| Vehicle | Starship | Starship |
| Stated investment | About $100 billion | Not directly comparable |
| Stated rank | SpaceX's 4th and largest launch facility | First Starship launch site |
| Terrain | Coastal chenier ridge and marsh | Coastal flats and dunes |
| Nearest city | Abbeville, about 1 hour | Brownsville, about 30 minutes |
| Public viewing | None designated | Established public beach and road viewing |
| First launch | Not announced | Already flying |
What Louisiana can learn from Boca Chica
Boca Chica went from empty coastal flats to an operating Starship site over years, and the local effects were real in both directions: jobs, road traffic, tourism, property values, launch-day closures, noise, and long arguments about beach access and wildlife. Vermilion Parish is starting the same conversation from a marsh that is more fragile and more hurricane-exposed. Watching how Cameron County handled closures, viewing areas, and permitting is the fastest way to understand what is coming here.
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Sources: SpaceX: Starbase Louisiana · CNBC: SpaceX Louisiana spaceport · Space.com: $100 billion Starbase Louisiana
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