Recent Activity
Starbase incorporated as a Texas city May 20, 2025. FAA approval in May 2025 raised the licensed cap to 25 Starship flights/year. Flight 12 (May 22, 2026) debuted the Starship V3/Block 3 generation and flew from the new Pad B (OLP-2) — its first launch — bringing the second orbital pad into operation; 12 integrated flights flown total. Flight 12's ship splashed down on target while the booster crashed in the Gulf on the landing burn. Roberts Road (KSC) tower under construction as a third site.
Investor Brief
World's only operational super-heavy-lift development site, vertically integrated from raw stainless to orbit. The single most important physical asset in SpaceX's Mars strategy and the only site cleared for full-stack Starship operations through 2026.
Ownership
Parent Entity
Regulatory Regime
Anchor Tenants
Latitude Advantage
Launch Azimuth Range
Employees
Country
🇺🇸United States
Region
North America
Established
2,014
Launches / Year
252,025
Years Active
12
Strategic Position
25.9972° N, 97.1561° W
Azimuth: 93°–110° (constrained eastward over Gulf; trans-lunar injections viable)
26.0°N — slightly better easterly boost than Florida; Gulf of Mexico azimuth window is narrow but adequate for LEO/lunar trajectories.
Future Milestones
- 2026
Starship Flight 13 (Block 3, B20/S40) — NET ~July 2026 per Shotwell
- 2026
First Starship orbital refueling demonstration
- 2027
HLS Starship uncrewed lunar landing demo (NASA Artemis contract)
About
Starbase is SpaceX's privately owned launch facility at the southern tip of Texas, purpose-built for the development and launch of the Starship super heavy-lift vehicle. The site includes manufacturing facilities, test stands, and two orbital launch pads. On May 20, 2025, residents voted to incorporate Starbase as a Texas city — the first company town of the commercial space age. It represents the future of SpaceX's Mars colonization ambitions.
Key Features
Purpose-built for Starship — the largest and most powerful rocket ever flown
Integrated manufacturing and launch operations on-site
Orbital launch mount with mechazilla tower for booster catch attempts
Rapid iterative testing philosophy — test, fly, learn, repeat
Gateway to SpaceX's Mars colonization program
Rockets That Launch Here
Companies Operating Here
Orbit Types
Notable Launches
Starship IFT-1 (2023) — First integrated Starship/Super Heavy test flight
Starship IFT-3 (2024) — First re-entry from space
Starship IFT-5 (2024) — First successful booster catch by mechazilla
Starship Flight 12 (2026-05-22) — Debut of the Starship V3/Block 3 generation and first launch from Pad B (OLP-2); ship splashed down on target in the Indian Ocean while the Super Heavy booster crashed into the Gulf (only one engine relit on the landing burn)
12 integrated Starship flights flown total through Flight 12; Flight 13 (Block 3, B20/S40) NET ~July 2026 per Shotwell
Recent Launches From This Site
Most recent missions flown from Starbase Boca Chica
- Starship SN9 | 10 km FlightSpaceXTBD
- Starship SN10 | 10 km FlightSpaceXSuccess
- Starship SN11 | 10 km FlightSpaceXFailure
- Starship SN15 | 10 km FlightSpaceXSuccess
- Starship | Integrated Flight TestSpaceXFailure
- Starship | Integrated Flight Test 2SpaceXTBD