tech
As SpaceX IPO launches, Texans near its Starbase HQ offer mixed opinions of the rocket company
SpaceX's headquarters in Starbase, Texas, which sits at the state's southern tip in the Rio Grande Valley, emerges almost unexpectedly after miles of long, dusty dirt roads.
TL;DR
- SpaceX's Starbase headquarters is located in the Rio Grande Valley, Texas, an area previously known for wildlife and bird watching.
- The company employs over 4,000 workers at Starbase, with plans to nearly double its workforce.
- SpaceX's recent IPO valued the company at over $2 trillion, making Elon Musk the first person worth at least $1 trillion.
- Local businesses like restaurants in Port Isabel have seen an increase in customers due to SpaceX employees and visitors drawn by rocket launches.
- Environmental activists and some residents express concerns about debris from launches, harm to wildlife, and decreased air quality.
- Housing prices in Brownsville have significantly increased since 2018, with some attributing this to SpaceX's growth and employees buying homes.
- Critics argue that SpaceX's development has widened the gap in equality and altered the traditional dynamic of Brownsville.