Elon Musk's private city in Texas, Starbase, is close to becoming a reality

Elon Musk's dream of founding a space city could come to fruition this Saturday, when a small group of voters in Texas decide whether to officially incorporate Starbase, a community built around SpaceX's Boca Chica base of operations near the Mexican border.

Only 283 qualified people, mostly SpaceX employees who reside in a 2.5 mi² area in Cameron County, will vote on the proposal. According to official data, some 500 people already live there, many of them on land owned by the company or its workers.

Starbase has been the test center for the Starship megacraft, key to Musk's plans to conquer Mars. In 2021, the entrepreneur publicly shared his intention to found a city by that name, and in December 2024, SpaceX formalized its application for municipal incorporation. In her letter to local authorities, the company's general manager, Kathryn Lueders, assured that SpaceX already provides basic services such as roads, health and education to the area's residents.

However, the project is facing criticism from environmental organizations and local communities. Bekah Hinojosa, co-founder of the South Texas Environmental Justice Network, warns that turning Starbase into a city will generate more pollution, waste and seismic risks due to rocket activities. It also fears that access to Boca Chica Beach, historically frequented by local families and the Carrizo Comecrudo tribe, will be further restricted.

The Environmental Protection Agency has already sanctioned SpaceX for spills in wetlands linked to the Rio Grande, and faces questions about the damage its releases have caused to wildlife.

Although the results will be known this weekend, most votes were already cast early. According to local election authorities, Elon Musk is registered to vote but did not do so until April 29.