World's richest man's Starbase dreams: Why Elon Musk’s vision goes beyond a typical city
Elon Musk’s vision of creating a company town for SpaceX employees is taking shape as workers in South Texas have petitioned to establish a municipality named "Starbase." Located near Boca Chica Beach, where SpaceX's rocket launches take place, the town would span 1.5 square miles and accommodate approximately 500 residents, including SpaceX employees and their families.
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The petition, filed with Cameron County earlier this month, seeks an election to formalise the incorporation of Starbase. If approved, voters would elect three city officials, including Gunnar Milburn, SpaceX’s security manager, as the inaugural mayor.
What is Starbase?
Starbase is envisioned as a dedicated community for SpaceX operations, enabling streamlined governance and improved infrastructure. The town already functions as a hub for employees living in refurbished homes or temporary accommodations, such as silver Airstream trailers, near the rocket launch site. The proposed municipality houses at least 219 primary residents and over 100 children, nearly all of whom are renters employed by SpaceX.
SpaceX General Manager Kathryn Lueders explained the rationale for the initiative in a letter to the county, stating: “Incorporating Starbase will streamline the processes required to build the
