Starbase pushes to grow nearly nine times its size, rivaling mid-sized Valley cities

Starbase could soon rival established Rio Grande Valley cities in land mass.

City records show the municipality formed around SpaceX’s launch site is now considering annexing 7,133 additional acres in Cameron County — a move that would expand its footprint from about 1.4 square miles to more than 12.5 square miles.

If the annexation is approved, Starbase would grow from 927 acres to roughly 8,060 acres — nearly nine times its current size. That would place it in the same land-size category as San Juan, which is roughly 11.6 square miles.

However, its population density and land use would differ significantly. 

Starbase’s expansion is driven by aerospace and industrial operations, not traditional residential growth. 

The city, which was formed in May 2025, does not yet have an official U.S. Census population estimate, but incorporation records show roughly 283 eligible voters lived within the city limits at the time of the election — suggesting a resident population in the low hundreds. 

By comparison, San Juan has roughly 35,000 residents, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s most recent population estimates. 

The scale of the proposed expansion marks a sharp departure from what city officials were considering just months ago, when they proposed annexing approximately 1,200 acres tied to a wetlands mitigation project.

What’s changing

In October, city officials delayed a vote on that original 1,200-acre expansion connected to the Rockhands mitigation area, a preservation project linked to SpaceX’s launch site growth.

That proposal alone would have more than doubled the city’s original size.

The new agenda materials, however, point to a dramatically expanded boundary shift. 

If approved, the move would allow Starbase to extend city services, zoning authority, and long-term planning control over thousands of additional acres — consolidating more land under the municipality formed around SpaceX’s rocket launch and production site.

Why it matters

Annexation is not simply a boundary adjustment.

It determines which government controls infrastructure, utilities, environmental mitigation, permitting authority, and long-term development decisions.

The expansion also comes as development inside Starbase accelerates.

In February, filings with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation showed SpaceX planning a $13.8 million private park known as Starship Park, or Building 42, inside city limits. 

The project includes a monument and amenities building and is scheduled to begin construction in mid-February and continue through late summer, according to state records.

Next steps

The annexation is expected to be discussed Wednesday at the next Starbase City Council meeting.

Any boundary expansion would require additional procedural steps before becoming final, including a public hearing and formal action by city officials.

As SpaceX continues scaling launch operations and related facilities, the annexation raises broader questions about infrastructure demands, environmental mitigation responsibilities, and long-term coastal land management in one of the Rio Grande Valley’s most closely watched industrial corridors, and ecologically sensitive locations.