Elon Musk has secured approval to develop a private city in Texas, marking a significant step in his broader ambition to eventually colonize Mars.
Earlier this year, Musk moved SpaceX’s headquarters from California to Texas, citing disagreements with California’s gender identity legislation. Now, he has set his sights on an even larger goal for the new location.
The SpaceX CEO plans to transform the company’s Boca Chica facility into an incorporated city named Starbase. Currently, Starbase serves as SpaceX’s primary launch site, playing a key role in its rocket program, which includes contracts with NASA and the U.S. Department of Defense. The site is central to future missions aimed at returning astronauts to the Moon and, ultimately, sending humans to Mars.
SpaceX moved its base in Texas (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
According to Bloomberg, residents—many of whom live and work for the space company—voted 173 to 4 in favor of incorporating Starbase as a city in Texas, out of 283 eligible voters.
The vote also resulted in the appointment of the city’s first mayor, Bobby Peden, along with two city commissioners, Jenna Petrzelka and Jordan Buss, all of whom are current or former SpaceX employees.
Celebrating the milestone, Elon Musk took to Twitter to announce that Starbase is “now a real city.”
In a separate post, Starbase stated, “Becoming a city will help us continue building the best community possible for the men and women shaping humanity’s future in space.”
Musk, 53, first proposed the idea of Starbase in 2021, with the plan facing little resistance on its path to approval.
Musk is celebrating the victory (Jamie Kelter Davis/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The victory comes as the billionaire’s popularity has plummeted since he became Donald Trump’s so-called ‘First Buddy’ in heading up the Department for Government Efficiency (DOGE) that has been driving cuts across the federal workforce.
Campaigners against his controversial appointment have taken to protesting at Tesla dealerships while profits for the carmaker have nosedived.
Meanwhile, SpaceX has largely gone unscathed with many seeing the company as beneficial for boosting local jobs and investment in the area.
However, it’s not without its critics as some fear the creation of a city could expand Musk’s control even further.
Boca Chica residents gathered to watch SpaceX’s rocket launch (RONALDO SCHEMIDT/AFP via Getty Images)
According to the Daily Mail, state Legislature could shift into the hands of the newly appointed mayor and city council for the area – and Starbase could acquire and close a popular beach as well as a state park to make way for more rocket launches.
SpaceX has already asked federal authorities for permission to expand its number of South Texas rocket launches from five to 25 a year.
Last year, Starbase General Manager Kathryn Lueders wrote to local officials to request making the city an issue on the ballot, writing: “We need the ability to grow Starbase as a community.”
The letter further stated that Starbase already has management of roads and utilities, plus schools and medical facilities for residents.
