Poppy Bilderbeck
SpaceX has submitted a letter to a judge asking to incorporate Starbase in Texas as a city.
SpaceX's Starbase is 'an industrial complex and rocket launch facility that serves as the main testing and production location for Starship launch vehicles', as per its website.
And founder and CEO Elon Musk has since shared an update regarding Starbase's petition to be recognized as 'the newest city in the Rio Grande Valley'.
Dated December 12, 2024, the letter addresses Cameron County Judge Eddie Treviño Jr. and is from General Manager of Starbase, Kathryn Lueders, on 'behalf of the entire Starbase community'.
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The letter, which was shared on Twitter by Lueders, acts as a petition 'requesting an election to determine whether Starbase, Texas, should be incorporated as a city'.
It explains: "Starbase is home to the development and production of SpaceX's Starship, a project designed to fundamentally alter humanity's access to space.
"We are investing billions in infrastructure and generating hundreds of millions in income and taxes for local businesses and government, all with the goal of making South Texas the Gateway to Mars.
"SpaceX is proud to play a major role in the South Texas and Cameron County communities, which are home to thousands of our employees, with several hundred living at Starbase. To continue growing the workforce necessary to rapidly develop and manufacture Starship, we need the ability to grow Starbase as a community.
"That is why we are requesting that Cameron County call an election to enable the incorporation of Starbase as the newest city in the Rio Grande Valley."
The petition argues that making Starbase a city would 'streamline the processes required to build the amenities necessary to make the area a world class place to live for the hundreds already calling it home, as well as for prospective workers eager to help build humanity's future in space'.
Citing 'several civil functions' SpaceX already 'currently performs' around Starbase, such as 'management of the roads, utilities, and the provision of schooling and medical care for the residents' the petition notes 'incorporation would move the management of some of these functions to a more appropriate public body'.
The petition clarifies: "We want to emphasize that incorporation will have no impact on SpaceX's commitment to being a science-backed steward of the local environment, nor on the extensive list of environmental mitigations developed in conjunction with state and federal agencies to minimize the impact of operations at Starbase."
SpaceX submits letter to Judge Treviño asking to officially incorporate Starbase, Texas, as its own city. pic.twitter.com/yPNpp6V3Ay
— 🌻 Jessica Kirsh (@jessica_kirsh) December 13, 2024
It also emphasizes the efforts it'll go to in a bid to continue to be a 'force for good in the area' such as funding public works projects, including conservation and clean-up efforts and environmental education by 'hosting school tours'.
The petition resolves: "Starbase is a one-of-a-kind location for manufacturing, testing, and launching the most advanced rocket and spaceships ever conceived-a fully and rapidly reusable system that paves the way for humanity's return to the Moon and eventual travel to Mars. We look forward to continuing its transformation into a world-class hub for the men and women working to make life multiplanetary.
"Finally, we would like to express our sincerest gratitude for Cameron County's support, guidance, and partnership over the years. We believe incorporation will only strengthen and deepen our commitment and ties to the area.
"Ad astra, Kathryn Lueders, General Manager, Starbase."
And Musk has since shared what would appear to be an update.
According to Musk, the request seems to have been approved.
The SpaceX CEO retweeted a copy of the letter alongside the caption: "SpaceX HQ will now officially be in the city of Starbase, Texas!"
Treviño Jr said on Thursday (December 12) that the petition was being reviewed, Associated Press reports.
He said: "Our legal and elections administration will review the petition, see whether or not it complied with all of the statutory requirements and then we’ll go from there."
UNILAD has contacted Treviño Jr for further comment.