Starbase Louisiana — Aug 25 facts

On Aug. 25, 2026, Louisiana Economic Development and SpaceX announced Starbase Louisiana. This page restates official figures we can source. Rocket Gumbo is independent — not affiliated with SpaceX, Vermilion Parish, or the State of Louisiana. Not an official site.

Where

LED and the announcement news name Pecan Island, Vermilion Parish.

The precise local name we use is Freshwater City. That is not an LED name and not a SpaceX.com name.

Not New Orleans. For the map, see the Location page.

Money

LED, in its Aug. 25 release: $100 billion.

SpaceX.com: “at least $100 billion.”

Those are two wordings from two sources. We do not merge them. We never write “up to $100 billion.”

Jobs

LED: 3,000 direct new jobs over the next 10 years, at an average annual salary of $92,600. More than 8,100 indirect. More than 11,100 new job opportunities in Acadiana.

SpaceX.com: “more than 3,000.”

We do not treat 10,000 as an official figure.

Land

About 125,000 acres, as reported (AP, Reuters, Shotwell). That acreage is not an LED line and not a SpaceX.com line.

Timeline

Construction is expected to begin in 2027. LED’s project hub says by the end of 2027.

First launch targeted as soon as 2029.

Targeted is not a schedule. No construction start, no launch, and no permits issued as facts we can publish here.

What this is not

Not a viewing guide. Not a permit desk. Independent original Starbase Louisiana merchandise is coming soon. The store is not open.

Sources