As Elon Musk looks to the stars, his SpaceX empire is rapidly reshaping a quiet corner of South Texas. What was once a modest beachside community is now on the cusp of becoming a full-fledged municipality called Starbase — a company town powered by rockets, ambition, and controversy.
Located at the edge of the Gulf Coast near Brownsville, Texas, the proposed town is less than two square miles in size, nestled next to a state-protected nature preserve and Boca Chica Beach. It’s already home to SpaceX’s sprawling launch and testing site, but if recent developments are any indication, it may soon evolve into something far more complex: a corporate city where rockets reign and the beach may come second to business.
From Beach Community to Launch Pad
For decades, Boca Chica Beach was considered a hidden gem, affectionately known to locals as “the poor man’s beach.” There were no gates, no entrance fees — just the open road and the salt air. It was a place where families could pile into trucks and head to the coast with coolers, folding chairs, and generations of memories in tow.
That easy access, however, now feels increasingly uncertain.
In recent years, SpaceX has gradually expanded its presence in the region. What started in 2014 as a proposed “small test site” has grown into a high-stakes hub for spaceflight innovation. The company has already conducted eight launches from the site, and it’s seeking permits from the Federal Aviation Administration to increase that number to as many as 25 per year.
Local residents like Rene Medrano, who grew up visiting Boca Chica and now lives about 20 miles inland, have watched the transformation with a mix of awe and frustration.
“To see now the way it is… it’s just disheartening,” Medrano said. “We don’t know that place anymore.”
The Push to Create Starbase
In 2024, SpaceX submitted a petition to the state of Texas to incorporate the area as an official municipality, giving the company the authority to create local infrastructure like fire departments, emergency services, and even its own school district. Elon Musk himself is registered to vote within the proposed town’s boundaries — a symbolic, if not strategic, step in legitimizing Starbase.
The vote to approve the municipality is now in the hands of a few hundred registered residents — many of whom are SpaceX employees. Should the proposal pass, it would mark the birth of what could be one of the most unique towns in America: a city born not from settlers or historical necessity, but from a private company’s mission to reach Mars.
Supporters argue that Starbase could fuel innovation, attract investment, and inspire a new generation of dreamers. But for those living in the surrounding areas, the transition has sparked serious concern about access, environment, and public rights.
Environmental and Social Fallout
Bekah Hinojosa, an environmental activist with a local group, warns that the pace and scope of SpaceX’s expansion have already strained the delicate ecosystems that make up the surrounding wildlife refuge and beachfront.
“The rocket launches are dangerous,” she said. “They shake our homes. They’ve dumped polluted water onto Boca Chica Beach. And the cost of living is rising. This isn’t just about rockets — it’s about a community being pushed out.”
The environmental effects are only part of the concern. Residents have also pointed to SpaceX’s ability to close off public roads and access points to the beach during launches, limiting the freedom that once defined the area.
Under Texas law, the Open Beaches Act guarantees free public access to the state’s coastlines. But if Starbase becomes an official town, proposed bills in the state legislature could give it the authority to restrict access to Boca Chica during weekdays, citing safety and FAA launch protocols.
State Rep. Janie Lopez, who authored a bill supporting Starbase’s formation, insists the intent is not to privatize the beach. “If the people decide to form their own municipality, they’ll be the ones making decisions,” she said during a recent legislative hearing. “Any closures will still follow FAA safety guidelines.”
Still, that promise offers little comfort to longtime locals like Medrano.
“Give us the beach,” he said bluntly. “Go to Mars, do your thing, get your rockets and go. But let us do our thing too.”
The Larger Question: Progress or Overreach?
SpaceX’s vision is undeniably bold. With the goal of making humanity a multi-planetary species, the company is pushing the boundaries of aerospace, engineering, and now — potentially — governance. The formation of Starbase could become a case study in what happens when corporate vision collides with public interest, environmental stewardship, and community identity.
For many in South Texas, the dream of reaching the stars comes with the cost of losing the ground beneath their feet.
As residents cast their votes and lawmakers weigh their options, the future of Starbase — and of Boca Chica — remains uncertain. What is clear, however, is that this isn’t just a story about rockets. It’s about how far a company should go in the pursuit of innovation, and what price a community is willing to pay in the name of progress.
One thing’s for sure: whether or not Starbase becomes an official city, Elon Musk has already transformed this stretch of the Texas coast into something entirely new — and the journey is only beginning.
