Texas residents vote to rename community near SpaceX launch site Starbase

SUMMARY

It’s official: Starbase, Texas, is now a real city. In a decisive 212-6 vote, residents of Cameron County — many of them SpaceX employees — voted to incorporate the community surrounding Elon Musk’s launch site as its own municipality. Musk celebrated the news on X, calling it a win for building “the future of humanity’s place in space.” Located along the U.S.-Mexico border, Starbase will serve as the epicenter of SpaceX’s next chapter — and a symbol of Musk’s broader migration away from California’s heavy-handed policies. The area has long been central to Musk’s vision. SpaceX began buying land there in 2012, and despite early resistance from locals, it has grown into a launch hub. A 2021 explosion near the site sparked environmental concerns, but that hasn’t slowed Musk’s ambitions. Once certified by a county judge, Starbase will officially join the map — as a city built for the stars.