SpaceX's Starbase becomes official Texas city

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The SpaceX Starbase industrial complex and rocket launch facility in Boca Chica, Texas, US, on Thursday, April 17, 2025. Residents of the tiny community near SpaceX's rocket launch site voted on May 3 to officially incorporate the area as its own cit

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STARBASE, Texas - Starbase, the home of SpaceX's starship development and production facility, is officially a Texas city.

Voters in Cameron County, many of whom are SpaceX employees, overwhelmingly passed a measure to make Starbase a Type C municipality.

Starbase, Texas officially becomes a city

What we know:

Starbase is located in the Rio Grande Valley, roughly 25 miles east of Brownsville, at the southern tip of Texas.

In an election on May 3, Cameron County voters backed a measure to incorporate Starbase by a 212 to 6 vote.

On Tuesday, the community posted that the incorporation was official.

Voters also elected a mayor, SpaceX Vice President of Test and Launch Bobby Peden, and two commissioners, Jordan Buss and Jenna Petrzelka, who are both SpaceX employees.

There are fewer than 500 people living in the community, which includes about 120 children.

Why It Matters:

SpaceX is under contract with the Department of Defense and NASA, which hopes to send astronauts back to the moon and someday to Mars.

Many launches, tests and the moving of equipment require the company to close local roadways and access to Boca Chica State Park and Boca Chica Beach.

By becoming a city, leaders would be able to close a beach and roads in the area to streamline the launch process.

The Federal Aviation Administration recent approved an increase in the number of launches from Starbase from five to a maximum of 25 per year.

The FAA says there are more licensing requirements that need to be completed.

What's next:

SpaceX is planning its Starship Flight 9 from Starbase next week.

The flight is tentatively planned for May 27 at 6:30 p.m.