Starbase, Texas: SpaceX's Company Town Becomes an Official City

Starbase, TX // Photo: SpaceX

May 3, 2025 – Boca Chica, TX — In a historic vote this week, residents of the small South Texas community once known as Boca Chica approved a measure to officially incorporate as the City of Starbase. The ballot passed overwhelmingly, with 173 votes in favor and only 4 opposed, marking a new chapter for SpaceX’s rapidly growing launch site and proving ground.

What Starbase Becoming a City Means

With city status, Starbase now gains the authority to manage its own utilities, roads, emergency services, and development regulations. The city spans about 1.45 square miles surrounding SpaceX’s production and launch facilities along Highway 4, just a few miles from the Gulf Coast.

The city’s first leadership team reflects the strong presence of SpaceX:

• Mayor: Bobby Peden, SpaceX VP of Test and Launch

• Commissioners: Jordan Buss and Jenna Petrzelka, both with SpaceX ties

While the city is small in population, it’s significant in ambition.

What This Unlocks for SpaceX

Becoming a city doesn’t just benefit residents — it directly enhances SpaceX’s ability to operate efficiently and expand quickly:

• Faster Permitting and Zoning: As the governing body, Starbase can streamline zoning laws and building approvals tailored to the unique needs of launch infrastructure, manufacturing, and R&D facilities.

• Local Tax Authority: The city can structure tax incentives or abatements that reduce costs and make long-term infrastructure upgrades easier to fund and control.

• Emergency Response Autonomy: SpaceX will benefit from direct control over fire, safety, and hazmat response — all critical during engine tests, cryogenic handling, or launch failures.

• Workforce Housing and Services: The city can zone land for affordable housing, company dormitories, or dedicated services that attract and retain a skilled workforce.

• Prototype for Off-World Settlements: Elon Musk has long stated his goal of building a city on Mars. Starbase could serve as a testbed for autonomous, company-aligned governance and closed-loop service systems — a “Mars simulation” on Earth.

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Pros of Incorporation

• Streamlined Development: Municipal status aligns local governance with SpaceX’s development goals.

• Infrastructure Investment: Funds can now be raised locally to upgrade roads, water, and electrical systems.

• STEM Education: Musk’s planned Ad Astra school offers a new model for hands-on, high-tech education.

Cons and Concerns

• Corporate Control: With nearly all land owned by SpaceX and its employees, critics warn of blurred lines between public interest and private enterprise.

• Environmental Pressure: Rocket activity has already strained local ecosystems and public access.

• Cultural Displacement: Indigenous groups fear loss of historical access and lack of consultation.

What’s Next for Starbase

With the vote passed, Starbase awaits certification by the Cameron County Commissioners Court. From here, all eyes will be on how the city grows — and how it balances rapid expansion with the social, cultural, and ecological weight of building a private city on the edge of space.

This isn’t just a win for SpaceX — it’s a test case for how humanity might govern the future of space settlements.