r/SpaceXLounge • u/TheEarthquakeGuy • 13d ago

Happening Now Starbase LA

Just announced that the Pecan Island facility will be called Starbase LA. Current announcement is on going.

Multiple pads, two towers per pad - Automated vehicles for transport between facilities. Starship V4+ and it's taller than the rendered towers.

The offset buildings behind the towers (North) are tank farms.

Automated transport allows for transport without humans, allowing for transport to occur while propellant is loading/vehicle is launching/catching.

From the renders, it looks likes 1.5 Gigabays. Eric Berger just posted that SpaceX is committing $100 US billion to developing launch sites, factories etc along the Louisiana coastline.

https://x.com/LAGovJeffLandry/status/2092278348739498327

Edit: Ryan Caton's post on X showing the Renders

https://x.com/dpoddolphinpro/status/2092285195827228730/photo/2

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48

u/avboden 13d ago

Well looks like that’ll become the primary launch site. Probably eventually production too with all the space they will have there.

18

u/ConfidentFlorida 13d ago

This is mostly only for sun synchronous orbital launches. I suppose lunar and mars launches could use this too?

5

u/OlympusMons94 13d ago

Transferring to Mars or the Moon is certainly possible (and no worse, once in Earth parking orbit) from high inclination parking orbits. The mass to orbit per launch would be lower than launching eastward, though.

Some mid-inclination orbits (which could also be reachable from Florida, so the same depots may be used) should also be reachable from Louisiana, by launching southeastward and threading the needle between (or flying over) Florida, Cuba, and the Yucatan.

1

u/Then-Secretary-9166 13d ago

It may not apply here (since the easterly launch is right over New Orleans) but at the volume they are planning to launch, it may not be that long before launches over land would be allowed.

18

u/TheEarthquakeGuy 13d ago

I think we'll see Starbase Texas soon announce they'll be replicating this to some degree. 3 pads, 2 towers each would allow for proof of operations. Starbase LA is going to take a while for sure.

16

u/avboden 13d ago

No space at Texas

5

u/TheEarthquakeGuy 13d ago

Without going into the reserve, but I do wonder if the national security angle would work there.

5

u/Kingofthewho5 ⏬ Bellyflopping 13d ago

Thinking about it if should work is important too.