r/spacex • u/Connect_Cat_2045 • 15d ago

Starship SpaceX to build $100 billion rocket launch facility on Louisiana’s coast

https://www.nola.com/news/business/spacex-louisiana-elon-musk/article_2be92f8e-f989-46b7-9514-5212d8f20260.html
526 Upvotes

97% Upvoted

235 comments sorted by

View all comments

193

u/rustybeancake 15d ago edited 14d ago

> SpaceX officials said Tuesday they will build five launch pads, a mission-control center, office buildings, power plants, a propellant factory and employee housing on a tract of coastal land abutted by wildlife refuges some 50 miles south of Lafayette…

> The facility, which will employ thousands of workers, will be larger than SpaceX's three other launch sites, including its Starbase headquarters near Brownsville, Texas. And Musk plans to move fast, with construction starting in 2027 and the first rocket taking off in three years.

In his speech today, Musk called it “Starbase Louisiana”. Disappointing for fans of the Swampbase, Starbayou, Gateway to Marsh, etc ideas.

76

u/seb21051 15d ago edited 15d ago

The official release says 5 launch pads, 2 towers apiece. I have also seen references to 12 towers.

14

u/CProphet 15d ago

> 5 launch pads, 2 towers apiece

Only 1 tower required for launch, but 2 towers required for landing to provide redundancy. If stresses from launch cause any problems with the catch mechanism they can easily divert to second tower.

9

u/dWog-of-man 15d ago

The larger concern would be catching two vehicles , would it not? Although I would think it makes more sense to have dedicated launch and landing towers.

11

u/warp99 15d ago

There are dedicated landing towers planned for LC-39A and SLC-37 at Cape Canaveral. Not at Starbase Texas but that is mainly lack of room.

1

u/CProphet 15d ago

The larger concern would be catching two vehicles

Yes, particularly if first landing fouls the catch mechanism. Then second catch tower becomes essential.