Elon Musk’s SpaceX has announced plans to build a $100bn launch facility in Louisiana, in what will become the company’s largest launch site.

The project, known as Starbase, Louisiana, will cover about 125,000 acres (50,585 hectares), expanding SpaceX’s operations beyond its existing facilities in Texas and Florida.

Construction is expected to begin next year, while the company aims to launch its first Starship flight from the Louisiana site in 2029.

SpaceX said the facility will support thousands of Starship flights each year, including missions to Earth orbit, the Moon and Mars.

The project is expected to create more than 3,000 direct jobs in the region. Louisiana Economic Development said workers at the facility would earn an average wage about 192% higher than the region’s current average salary.

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The agency also estimates that the project could create more than 8,100 additional jobs indirectly.

Officials described the development as a major boost for Louisiana’s aerospace industry, with the facility expected to strengthen the state’s position as a centre for advanced space technology.

The Louisiana site will share the name Starbase with SpaceX’s existing facility in southern Texas. Residents in Cameron County approved the incorporation of the Texas site as a city called Starbase in 2025.

The new Louisiana facility is part of Musk’s broader plans to expand SpaceX’s space operations. The billionaire has set ambitious goals for the company, including missions to Mars, alongside plans involving artificial intelligence and space-based data centres.

SpaceX has also been expanding into other areas of technology. In August, SpaceX and Tesla announced plans to build a $16.8bn artificial intelligence chip manufacturing facility in Texas called Terafab.

The expansion comes after SpaceX made history with its stock market debut on Nasdaq in June, described as the world’s biggest-ever stock market debut.

However, the company is under pressure to convince investors that it can remain profitable while funding its ambitious expansion plans. Its shares have fallen by more than 30% from their post-listing highs, although they remain above the initial $135 offer price.

(BBC News)