SpaceX is planning Starbase Louisiana on a tract of roughly 125,000 acres in the Pecan Island area of Vermilion Parish, The Center Square reported. SpaceX’s own job postings for the project list their location as Pecan Island, La.
How far is it?
Pecan Island is a small community in the marsh country of southern Vermilion Parish, near the Gulf. Measured in a straight line from the Pecan Island community, using OpenStreetMap’s coordinates:
- Kaplan: about 27 miles
- Abbeville: about 30 miles
- White Lake: about 7 miles
Driving distances are longer, since roads in the marsh do not run straight. The Times has not seen a published map of the site’s exact boundaries, so these distances are measured to the Pecan Island community, not to a launch pad.
What is next to it
The Vermilion Parish School District owns six parcels, about 4,000 acres, beside the planned spaceport, on the north side of LA 82 by White Lake, Acadiana News First reported Oct. 28. The land is Section 16 school property, which cannot be sold without legislative approval but can be swapped; it would be appraised before any negotiations.
When it will be built
Building is slated to start in 2027, with the first launch aimed for 2029, according to The Center Square. SpaceX has begun posting jobs for the site; the Times lists every opening here.
For the full timeline, the money and the open questions, see Starbase Watch.