A community in Texas has made headlines after voting to incorporate as the city of Starbase, a significant milestone for the residents, many of whom are employees of Elon Musk's SpaceX. On Saturday, the residents of Cameron County overwhelmingly supported this move, casting a decisive 212-6 vote in favor of incorporation. This development marks a pivotal moment in the region, which is strategically located at the southern border of the U.S. in the Rio Grande Valley.
Elon Musk took to his social media platform, X, to celebrate the results, declaring that Starbase “is now a real city.” The incorporation required just 143 votes to secure its status, reflecting the community's aspirations and connection to the ambitious projects spearheaded by SpaceX. A statement from the newly formed city’s page on X emphasized the significance of this step, stating, “Becoming a city will help us continue building the best community possible for the men and women building the future of humanity’s place in space.”
According to Cameron County elections administrator Remi Garza, Starbase will officially gain its status as a Texas municipality once the election results are validated by a county judge. This incorporation is not just a bureaucratic step; it represents the aspirations of a community closely tied to the innovations and future of space exploration.
The incorporation of Starbase follows Musk’s announcement in July 2022 that he intended to relocate the headquarters of SpaceX and X from California. This decision was influenced by the signing of a bill concerning transgender students by California Governor Gavin Newsom. SpaceX's presence in the area began over a decade ago when the company started purchasing land in 2012. The company broke ground on its projects in 2014 after the Texas legislature passed a bill allowing an exception to the Public Beach Access Act, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Despite the excitement surrounding the incorporation, some residents have voiced concerns over SpaceX's impact on the community. Celia Johnson, a local resident, expressed her frustrations in a 2021 interview, claiming, “SpaceX bullied us from the beginning.” She recounted attempts by the company to purchase her home and those of others in the area. This sentiment reflects the tensions that can arise when large corporations expand into small communities.
SpaceX's activities in the region have not been without controversy. In 2018, Musk mentioned the area's spaciousness as a safety feature for potential mishaps, saying, “We’ve got a lot of land with nobody around, so if it blows up, it’s cool.” This statement became particularly poignant after a test flight on March 30, 2021, resulted in an explosion near the Texas facility, scattering debris across the landscape. Cleanup took three months, during which the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reported several compliance issues with SpaceX to the Federal Aviation Administration.
As Starbase embarks on its journey as a new city, it will be interesting to see how the incorporation affects the community dynamics and the ongoing projects of SpaceX. With aspirations to build not only rockets but also a vibrant community, the future of Starbase holds significant potential for both its residents and the broader vision of space exploration.
For further developments regarding Starbase and SpaceX, stay tuned for updates as the situation unfolds.
