Texas Town Rebranded as 'Starbase': Home to SpaceX

The inhabitants of this Texan town, located southeast near the Mexican border and hosting Elon Musk’s SpaceX facility, have approved making Elon Musk’s Starbase an official part of their municipality through a local referendum. This decision sets them apart from Cameron County, which had earlier declined proposals to construct additional accommodations for SpaceX workers. Following the vote by residents, the town will officially adopt the name “Starbase.”

In Saturday’s vote, out of approximately 300 residents eligible to vote, about 212 supported officially incorporating the community as a city, while only six opposed it.

Musk announced on X that Starbase, Texas has officially become a recognized city.

The recently designated Starbase spans approximately 3.75 square kilometers near the SpaceX facility that manufactures the Starship rocket, intended for trips to Mars.

Starbase, Texas: Population 500

According to reports from the AFP news agency, approximately 500 individuals reside near the facility in Cameron County. This information is based on official records which also indicate that most of this land is either owned by SpaceX or its staff members.

One of the landmarks in the settlement is a large bust of the tech billionaire. Residents also elected SpaceX manager Bobby Peden as their mayor.

“Transitioning into a city will assist us in continuing to develop the finest community possible for the individuals shaping humanity’s role in space,” the newly formed city’s account shared on the social media platform X.

SpaceX critics unhappy with new status

The decision to establish Starbase as an independent city sets it apart from Cameron County, which had earlier turned down proposals to develop additional housing for SpaceX staff. With this change, Starbase can now undertake and manage its own construction initiatives.

Some people are not pleased with recent developments. Bekah Hinojsa, who co-founded the South Texas Environmental Justice Network, expressed worries about the potential environmental effects and cautioned against further “damage.”

She warned with/AFP prior to the voting that they might engage in further unauthorized disposal of waste, intensify their hazardous missile activities, lead to increased tremors, make houses quiver, and obliterate additional areas of wildlife habitats in the area.

The altered city status enables Starbase to manage construction and permit procedures, sidestepping additional bureaucratic hurdles, all while gathering taxes and drafting local legislation.

Edited by: Zac Crellin