Elon Musk’s Starbase set to become an official Texas city

A small number of Texas residents have voted in favor of turning Elon Musk’s SpaceX launch base into an official city called Starbase. A formal vote was organized and approved by a lopsided margin among the electorates consisting majorly of SpaceX employees living in the fenced complex.Starbase is the production and launch site for the SpaceX heavy-lift rocket program, which is now under contract at the Department of Defence and NASA. The program aims to put astronauts on the moon, with its eventual goal being Mars. Musk first proposed the idea in 2021, and with about 283 eligible voters, most of whom were employees at the company, no resistance was expected.The win also puts Musk in a good light, considering he has become the chainsaw-welding henchman of United States President Donald Trump pushing for federal cuts. In addition, profits at his company Tesla have also dipped in the last few months.Critics worry that Elon Musk’s Starbase may limit access to parks and beachesLocal leaders in the region have duly given SpaceX its flowers, considering the jobs and investment the company has brought to the region. However, critics argue that turning the launch base into an official company town will expand Musk’s control, possibly giving him the power to close a popular public beach and nearby state park whenever rockets roll.Similar efforts in the city have been made to hand that beach‐closure authority from Cameron County to the new town’s mayor and city council through the Texas Legislature. The legislative push comes as SpaceX asks federal regulators to increase its permitted launches on the South Texas coast from five to 25 a year.The future city, in the southern part of Texas near Mexico’s border, covers only about 1.5 square miles. It has a few roads, Airstream trailers, and modest mid‐century houses. SpaceX executives have not released too much information about why they want a separate city. In a 2024 letter requesting the election, Starbase General Manager Kathryn Lueders mentioned that the company already maintains roads and utilities. It also provides schooling and medical care for residents on the property.Company lobbyists have told lawmakers that beach‐closure power would streamline launch operations; every rocket launch, engine test, or heavy equipment move requires the closure of a local highway along with Boca Chica State Park and Boca Chica Beach. Opponents counter that such authority should remain with Cameron County commissioners, who answer to a broader public that fishes, swims, and camps there. County Judge Eddie Treviño Jr. says the current system works and needs no change.The post Elon Musk’s Starbase set to become an official Texas city first appeared on Coinfea.