BOCA CHICA, Texas — Down where the Rio Grande spills into the Gulf of Mexico, a scrappy patch of South Texas scrubland is on the cusp of a transformation. SpaceX’s remote launch site, a sprawl of concrete and steel towers dwarfing the coastal flats, is set to become Texas’ newest city: Starbase. On May 3, residents—mostly SpaceX employees and their families—will vote to incorporate this industrial outpost into a full-fledged municipality. The move, greenlit by Cameron County officials, marks a bold step for Elon Musk’s space empire.
The site, a stone’s throw from Boca Chica Beach, has been SpaceX’s testing ground for a decade. Here, the company has hammered out its Starship program, firing off eight suborbital test flights of the world’s most powerful rocket, designed to haul humans to Mars. What was once a quiet stretch of dunes and fishing spots now hums with construction crews, heavy machinery, and massive propellant tanks. Roads close for launches, and locals get text alerts from the county about delays when SpaceX hauls equipment or runs tests. The beach, a public right under Texas law, stays accessible, but the vibe has shifted—hard hats and high-tech have replaced the solitude.
Incorporation would hand Starbase a city government, with three SpaceX employees running unopposed for leadership spots on the ballot. The proposed city, covering a sliver of Cameron County, would include housing, an office complex, and amenities for the roughly 200 residents, many tied to SpaceX’s payroll. Plans filed with the county outline a self-contained community, a nod to Musk’s vision of Martian colonies. Schools, shops, and utilities are in the works, though details remain sparse.
Not everyone’s thrilled. Some longtime locals, like 65-year-old fisherman Juan Medrano, see the changes as a clash of worlds. He navigates a construction-choked access road to reach his fishing spots, a three-mile trek across sand to the border. The highway shuts down on launch days, and non-launch delays are common. Environmental concerns linger too—SpaceX’s rapid buildout has raised questions about impacts on the fragile coastal ecosystem, though no formal objections have stalled the cityhood push.
The vote, held at a SpaceX facility, is expected to pass. If it does, Starbase will join Texas’ roster of cities, a new dot on the map born from rocket fuel and ambition. Cameron County records show the petition for incorporation was filed on December 12, 2024, with signatures from 20 residents. The process, cleared by state law, sets the stage for a city unlike any other—a hub of aerospace dreams rising from the Gulf’s edge.
Ballots will be counted May 3. Starbase’s fate rests with a handful of voters in a place where the future feels closer than the past.