Residents of SpaceX’s Starbase launch site in Boca Chica, Texas, have voted to incorporate as a city, marking a significant shift in local governance and the future of the area. Elon Musk recently announced intentions to relocate SpaceX’s headquarters away from El Segundo, California, to the Starbase facility. This decision further highlights the company’s deep commitment to its operations in Texas.
Musk’s moving SpaceX headquarters to the Austin area. He’s taken steps to close Boca Chica beach and the nearby state park for future starbase rocket launches. SpaceX targets March 14 as a tentative date for the next test launch of its highly ambitious Starship rocket. As the company walked up to their last launch attempt, they were just one dramatic explosion away from success. These failures underscore the high stakes in their fast-and-furious test-and-learn strategy.
Further, local residents have shown a great deal of excitement over Starbase’s incorporation. The new city government will shift authority from the county, with Musk serving as mayor alongside two elected commissioners: Bobby Peden and Jordan Buss. The new local governance is intended to improve local infrastructure such as roads, urban utilities, primary schooling and healthcare.
Musk recently posted on his new X account representing the town after last night’s election, further indicating his active role in shaping Starbase’s future.
“Becoming a city will help us continue building the best community possible for the men and women building the future of humanity’s place in space.” – StarbaseTX
Incorporating Starbase illustrates SpaceX’s remarkable expansion. It shows the extent of Musk’s ambition for a parallel governance structure that will undergird future growth. He makes his home in New York City. He has signaled that, from here on out, his time and energy will be focused almost exclusively on Texas.
