Elon Musk is advancing plans to establish a dedicated town for SpaceX and its employees in Texas, USA. SpaceX staff have filed a petition to incorporate a new municipality called Starbase in coastal South Texas, where the company’s rocket launch facilities are located. The town’s first mayor is anticipated to be a SpaceX security manager.
Over the years, Musk has shifted his operations from California to Texas, developing facilities across several counties. Musk has been envisioning the Starbase town for years, but recently progress accelerated as SpaceX employees started moving into nearby homes and temporary housing near the launch site.
According to a report by the New York Times, residents working for SpaceX filed an official petition with Cameron County to hold an election on incorporation this month. The document (seen by NYT) reveals initial plans for the city. If this city comes into existence, Musk will create history by doing something that no other company or business leader has ever done.
What happens when Starbase comes into existence
The Starbase plan remained stalled for years, partly due to Texas laws requiring a minimum number of residents and majority voter support to establish a new municipality. However, SpaceX employees have started settling into refurbished homes and temporary housing near the company’s rocket launch site, the report claims.
This month, these residents took a step toward creating a new city by filing a petition with Cameron County to hold an election, revealing initial details about Elon Musk’s vision for the proposed municipality.
If approved, the election would allow voters to select three city officials, including Gunnar Milburn, SpaceX’s security manager, as the proposed first mayor. The petition outlines a community of roughly 500 residents, including 219 primary residents and over 100 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥ren, located near Boca Chica Beach at the end of State Highway 4. Covering about 1.5 square miles, the proposed town is small by Texas standards. Most residents are renters and work for SpaceX.
However, the petition does not mention why Musk and SpaceX employees are pursuing the creation of Starbase or what benefits they aim to achieve. The proposed town could establish its own police or fire departments or enact its ordinances.
Apart from this, Musk may also be looking into the possibility of housing employees in a development outside the town of Bastrop, near Austin. The area is home to a growing campus for Musk companies, including a manufacturing plant for SpaceX; the headquarters of the Boring Company, which is creating tunnelling technology; and, soon, offices for the social media platform X (earlier Twitter).
