Elon Musk’s space base granted city status
To become an official settlement
Elon Musk’s space base, which houses the headquarters of SpaceX in South Texas, has officially been granted legal status as a city under the name Starbase. The residents of the Boca Chica area, where the base is located, voted unanimously in favor of forming an independent municipality.
«Voters in South Texas delivered a decisive victory to Elon Musk, overwhelmingly supporting the creation of Starbase as an independent city», Bloomberg reports.
The city status was also announced by Elon Musk himself.
«Well, it’s official now», the billionaire wrote on social media platform X (formerly Twitter).
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The creation of the new municipality includes the establishment of local government bodies – a mayor and two commissioners – who will oversee matters such as planning, taxation, and administration. The first mayor of Starbase will be SpaceX Vice President Bobby Peden.
However, the formation of this space city has also sparked backlash. Some residents of neighboring communities oppose the initiative, accusing the company of causing environmental damage. Critics are also concerned that Musk’s city could give him greater control over the area, potentially leading to the closure of a popular beach and state park for rocket launches.
Meanwhile, it has been revealed that SpaceX is seeking federal approval to increase the number of annual launches in South Texas from five to 25.
Currently, the area of Starbase covers approximately 4 square kilometers and is home to fewer than 500 residents, most of whom work at the space base.
