🚀 From Mars to Texas: Elon Musk’s Newest Frontier—Welcome to Starbase
Elon Musk has conquered electric cars, shaken up space travel, exposed billions of dollars of government waste with DOGE, and now? He’s casually founding cities. That’s right—Starbase, Texas is officially on the map. Why wait to colonize Mars when you can launch a whole new town right here on Earth?
The area where Elon Musk’s SpaceX company operates on the southern tip of Texas is to officially become a city called Starbase.
Residents approved incorporating a patch of land as the new municipality in an election on Saturday.
Most of the 283 eligible voters are SpaceX employees. Results published online by Cameron County show 212 votes in favour versus six opposed. Billionaire Musk wrote “Starbase, Texas is now a real city!” on his social media platform X.
The new city covers about 1.6 sq miles (3.9 sq km) that was sparsely populated before SpaceX began buying land in the area in 2012. – BBC
🌟 A City Straight Out of Sci-Fi
This isn’t a sci-fi script—it’s real. On May 3rd, the tiny community formerly known as Boca Chica voted overwhelmingly to incorporate as the city of Starbase. With rockets looming in the skyline and Starship test launches rattling the desert, it’s like living inside a NASA fever dream—with tacos.
Elon Musk, never one for half-measures, has essentially birthed a modern-day company town. And not just for headlines—he’s laying infrastructure, electing leadership (all SpaceX folks, naturally), and drawing out plans that feel more Jetsons than Johnson County.
Starbase, Texas — a new city in Texas.
The new front door to the next frontier. https://t.co/LBttdVqkt0
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) May 4, 2025
🏗️ More Than Rockets: The Economy of Starbase
Here’s the angle most people are missing—Starbase isn’t just a SpaceX playground. It’s poised to become a magnet for private sector innovation, engineering talent, and—wait for it—space tourism. Think about it: when commercial flights to orbit become reality, where’s the departure gate? Probably somewhere near Starbase, Texas.
And if you’re a welder, coder, contractor, or barista with a sci-fi streak—pack your bags. This place could explode with opportunity. Local contractors, small business owners, and even hotel developers are already sniffing around. What was once sleepy coastline is now a prime spot for future-focused industry.
🎒 Tourism Is About to Get Weird (In a Good Way)
Move over Austin—there’s a new weird in town. Starbase might soon be the pilgrimage site for science nerds, space fans, influencers, and every 12-year-old who ever dreamed of being an astronaut. Museums? Tours? Rocket-viewing parties? You bet.
You think people flock to see the Alamo? Just wait until they can snap a selfie with a fully stacked Starship in the background. Someone’s going to open a zero-gravity smoothie bar, and you heard it here first.
While Starbase, Texas isn’t your typical tourist hotspot, it’s quickly becoming a magnet for space enthusiasts. Located near Boca Chica Beach, about 30 minutes from Brownsville, visitors can catch glimpses of the SpaceX launch site and sometimes even witness a Starship test from public areas. There aren’t many amenities on-site—no restrooms, food stands, or gift shops—so come prepared. Most tourists stay in nearby Brownsville or South Padre Island, where local businesses and beach resorts offer a more comfortable home base. Just check for road closures before you go—rocket launches tend to shut things down.
🏡 From Company Town to Cultural Experiment
Elon’s other project, Snailbrook, is also in Texas—another experimental community for workers of his companies. If he keeps this up, we won’t just be asking what Elon’s building—we’ll be living in it. The guy doesn’t want a zip code. He wants a civilization.
What does it mean when billionaires build cities? That’s a debate for another post. For now, Starbase is shaping up to be part spaceport, part startup incubator, and part sci-fi roadside attraction.
Beats paving over more pastureland for a Dollar General, that’s for sure.
🚧 Final Thought
Elon Musk just founded a city. In Texas. With rockets. Whether you’re cheering it or side-eyeing it, you can’t ignore it. Starbase is real, it’s growing, and it might just be the weird, wonderful preview of humanity’s next chapter.
So buckle up. Texas just got a whole lot more interstellar.
Note: This post is inspired by recent developments in Texas and Elon Musk’s ventures. For more information, check out the latest news on Starbase and Snailbrook.
Feature Image: Created by AI
Meet The Americanist