Starbase, a 1.6-square-mile area in Cameron County, Texas, has officially been incorporated as a city, mainly driven by SpaceX employee votes (212 to 6). Led by SpaceX's leadership, including Mayor Bobby Peden, the new city status aims to facilitate increased rocket launches from five to twenty-five annually. Despite local support for SpaceX's economic contributions, the rise of a company town raises ongoing debates, especially regarding local highway control and beach access during launches. Starbase's transformation includes infrastructure developments and community services managed by SpaceX.
"We need the ability to grow Starbase as a community," wrote Starbase General Manager Kathryn Lueders in a 2024 letter to local officials.
Starbase serves as the launch site for SpaceX's rocket program, which holds contracts with NASA and the Department of Defense to return astronauts to the moon and eventually reach Mars.
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