Just days after the successful launch of its Starship rocket, SpaceX has announced plans for a $100 million expansion of its “Starfactory.” The ultimate aim is to produce one Starship per day at the Starbase complex in Boca Chica, Texas.
The recent test flight of the world’s most powerful rocket marked a significant achievement for SpaceX, being the fourth successful launch. During this test, the Super Heavy booster made a controlled splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico, while the 165-foot upper stage, known as “Ship,” descended into the Indian Ocean. These four successful launches follow two initial failures, one of which ended in an explosion.
“We have Ships and Super Heavy boosters either ready to launch or in various stages of testing for upcoming flights. More units are continuously being produced as our Starfactory expands,” stated Jessie Anderson, SpaceX’s Falcon Structures Manufacturing Engineering Manager. The factory’s latest phase is set to become operational this summer, adding several hundred thousand square feet of production space.
The facility is also preparing to build Starship 2, an improved design that will be easier to mass produce. “The new Starship version features forward flaps shifted leeward, enhancing reliability, manufacturing efficiency, and payload capacity,” SpaceX founder Elon Musk shared. This updated version will also carry more fuel and have a lower dry weight, extending its operational range.
Construction of this new megafactory began in February. “Walking into this factory is truly inspirational,” said Kate Tice, manager of SpaceX Quality Systems Engineering, during a livestream. “This expansion will significantly boost our production rate as we work towards our long-term goal of producing one Ship per day and rolling out Starship Version Two.”
Starship, the largest rocket ever built, boasts more than twice the thrust of the Saturn V rockets that went to the Moon. Musk’s vision for Starship includes missions to the Moon as part of NASA’s Artemis program and future explorations of Mars. Several wealthy civilian astronauts have already signed up for Starship missions, including Jared Isaacman, who previously completed a mission aboard the smaller Dragon capsule. Isaacman and his eight-member crew have been training for the Polaris Dawn mission, which will include the first commercial spacewalk by a civilian. Originally slated for 2023, this mission has been rescheduled for later this summer.
Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa, who initially planned to circumnavigate the Moon aboard Starship, recently canceled his plans due to uncertainties about the launch schedule. Meanwhile, Dennis Tito, the world’s first space tourist who visited the International Space Station in 2001, plans to circumnavigate the Moon with his wife, Akiko, within the next five years.
This $100 million extension of the Starfactory marks a pivotal step in SpaceX’s ambitious goals. With enhanced production capabilities and improved rocket designs, SpaceX is setting the stage for an era of rapid and advanced space exploration. As the company continues to innovate and expand, it edges closer to making space travel more accessible and sustainable, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in aerospace technology.
