SpaceX unveils $100bn Starbase Louisiana site, moves AI satellite launch to Q4 2027
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SpaceX on Tuesday announced Starbase, Louisiana, a high-cadence Starship launch site backed by a $100 billion investment. The company also moved up the launch of its first Nvidia-powered AI satellites to Q4 2027, with volume launches in 2028. The announcement came as SpaceX stock traded higher in early trading.
Key Facts
- SpaceX will invest $100 billion to build the Starbase Louisiana facility, with construction starting in 2027 and first Starship launches targeting 2029.
- Starbase Louisiana is designed to support thousands of Starship launches per year, with over a dozen launch towers enabling more than 30 flights per day.
- SpaceX and Nvidia have designed a space-optimized Vera Rubin NVL72 system for launch to orbit in Q4 2027, with significant scale in 2028.
- JPMorgan analyst Doug Anmuth expects SpaceX to pursue orbital compute toward about 75GW by the end of 2031.
Starbase Louisiana Investment
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry said SpaceX will invest $100 billion to build the facility. Construction is scheduled to start in 2027, with first Starship launches targeting 2029. SpaceX said Starbase will eventually support thousands of Starship launches a year, targeting Earth's orbit, the Moon, and Mars. Musk added that Starbase will ultimately have over a dozen launch towers, enabling more than 30 Starship flights per day.
AI Satellite Timeline
SpaceX, in partnership with Nvidia, has designed a space-optimized Vera Rubin NVL72 system for launch to orbit in Q4 2027, with significant scale in 2028. The new timeline pulls the launch forward from the previously stated 2028 target. SpaceX and Nvidia announced on Monday that Nvidia Vera processors will accelerate orchestration, code execution, and data processing for next-generation agentic AI. JPMorgan analyst Doug Anmuth wrote that from 2029 on, SpaceX is expected to pursue orbital compute toward about 75GW by the end of 2031.
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SpaceX unveils $100bn Starbase Louisiana site, moves AI satellite launch to Q4 2027
