Elon Musk's Starbase gains city status, sparks debate
Elon Musk's SpaceX rocket launch area has officially been granted city status under the name Starbase in Texas. Most of those eligible to vote in the referendum on this matter were employees of the billionaire, according to media reports.
According to the Associated Press, the newly established city of Starbase, located near the Mexican border, covers an area of about 2 square miles. This strategic location serves as a launch base for SpaceX rockets under contracts with NASA and the U.S. Department of Defense. The landscape is mainly characterized by simple access roads, trailers, and modest mid-20th-century houses.
Musk proposed creating the city back in 2021. Despite his decreased popularity after joining the Trump administration and Tesla's deteriorating financial results, SpaceX still enjoys local support due to the economic revival it brings to the region.
Critics express concern that the city's status will extend Musk's control over the area, potentially allowing for the closure of a popular beach and state park for space operations.
The accompanying status change regulations aim to transfer the authority to close the beach from county officials to the new city's administration. SpaceX is simultaneously seeking a federal permit to increase the annual number of space rocket launches fivefold—from 5 to 25.
Beach to be closed
SpaceX representatives have argued to lawmakers that giving the city authority to close the beach will improve launch operations. Both rocket launches and engine tests, along with the general movement of specialized equipment on the base, require the temporary closure of the local highway and access to Boca Chica State Park and its beach.
"We need the ability to grow Starbase as a community," said the CEO of SpaceX, Kathryn Lueders. She explained that the company already manages local infrastructure, education, and medical care for residents.
Local opposition is organized, among others, by the South Texas Environmental Justice Network—an association focusing on environmental and social justice issues that has already conducted a series of protests.
Josette Hinojosa, a resident quoted by the AP, expressed concerns about access to the beach that her family has used for generations. Christopher Basaldú from the tribe known as the Carrizo/Comecrudo Nation referred to the area as "sacred."
