{"id":5453,"date":"2025-05-05T22:51:37","date_gmt":"2025-05-05T22:51:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nationalgunowner.org\/index.php\/2025\/05\/05\/spacexs-starship-test-site-becomes-official-city-in-texas\/"},"modified":"2025-05-05T22:51:50","modified_gmt":"2025-05-05T22:51:50","slug":"spacexs-starship-test-site-becomes-official-city-in-texas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nationalgunowner.org\/index.php\/2025\/05\/05\/spacexs-starship-test-site-becomes-official-city-in-texas\/","title":{"rendered":"SpaceX\u2019s Starship Test Site Becomes Official City in Texas"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Starbase is the site for Starship\u2019s test launches. Jim Watson\/AFP via Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Elon Musk<\/a> can now add a Texas city to the long list of ventures he\u2019s juggling. Over the weekend, the SpaceX<\/a> development site in Boca Chica, Texas\u2014known for test launching the company\u2019s Starship rocket\u2014was officially incorporated as a city after residents overwhelmingly voted in favor of the move.<\/p>\n

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\u201cBecoming a city will help us continue building the best community possible<\/a> for the men and women building the future of humanity\u2019s place in space,\u201d\u00a0read a post from the official X account of Starbase, which was created shortly after the vote.<\/p>\n

The newly incorporated city spans about 1.5 square miles and sits 20 miles outside of Brownsville, Texas. It\u2019s home primarily to more than 200 SpaceX employees and their families. According to a results report from Cameron County, the vote to incorporate passed with 212 votes in favor and just six opposed.<\/p>\n

For the past six years, SpaceX has used the site\u2014now known as Starbase\u2014as its primary launch facility for Starship, the world\u2019s largest rocket and a key part of Musk\u2019s vision to colonize Mars. The area also includes SpaceX manufacturing facilities, employee housing, a grocery store, and the staff-only Astropub restaurant.<\/p>\n

A SpaceX employee will serve as mayor<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The vote also installed three current and former SpaceX employees in key leadership roles. Bobby Peden<\/a>, a 12-year SpaceX veteran who currently serves as vice president of Texas Test & Launch, will be mayor. Jenna Petrzelka<\/a>, a former operations engineering manager, and Jordan Buss<\/a>, SpaceX\u2019s senior director of environmental health and safety, were elected as city commissioners.<\/p>\n

Musk has long pushed for Starbase to become a city, though he has yet to publicly share his plan for the company town\u2019s future. Incorporation is expected to ease bureaucratic hurdles as SpaceX continues developing and testing rockets. For example, the company currently needs local approval to shut down nearby beaches and parks for launches\u2014something that could become more streamlined under city governance.<\/p>\n

The Starbase vote marks a rare recent win for Musk, who has faced increasing criticism in recent months. As the head of the Trump administration\u2019s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Musk has drawn backlash for his role in slashing federal budgets and workforces. His rising political profile has also sparked protests and investor angst against Tesla<\/a>, his electric vehicle company.<\/p>\n

Starbase isn\u2019t Musk\u2019s only footprint in Texas. Bastrop County, near Austin, Texas, is playing an increasingly important role for The Boring Company<\/a>, Musk\u2019s tunneling venture. That area, too, has reportedly been floated as a possible site for another company town.<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\"Elon<\/p><\/div>\n