SpaceX announced plans to launch Starship from the Kennedy Space Center later this year on Monday, building an additional $1.8 billion infrastructure in Florida to support two launch sites.
“SpaceX was founded on the ultimate mission of making humanity multifaceted. Spaceships are the vehicles that enable us to become spacecraft civilizations.” “With this vast expansion of spacecraft production and launch capabilities in Florida, we have taken a major step towards achieving this goal. We are grateful to our statewide partners for their continued support.”
The massive investment, previously known as “Project Hinton” by Space Florida, is projected to bring 600 jobs, with an average annual wage of $93,000 per year, by 2030.
The news, coupled with layoffs at Boeing and a cut in workforce at NASA under President Trump’s federal agency purge, refutes some bad space-related employment news, including Boeing layoffs and blue origins.
The state’s Aerospace Finance Development Authority approved state funding late last year to stimulate secret projects, but many speculated that it would benefit Elon Musk’s desire to have a new launch site for his large rocket.
SpaceX had already built Starship launch towers on the KSC Launch Complex 39-A, but also pursued the right to build spaceship pads at the launch complex 37 of the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
“As we complete the spacecraft launch pad with the PAD 39-A this year, and are waiting for the completion of our environmental review, SpaceX will be running its first spacecraft launch from Florida from Launchpad 39-A later this year.”
Construction of KSC’s first spacecraft tower on PAD 39-A began in 2022, but stalled as the company refocused its initial test launch efforts in Texas, where it is building a second pad.
“In the coming months, the team will build and install a deflector system for pads, which will provide cooling water and sound suppression water between the launch of Starship and the catch,” the company posted on its website. “This new deflector is roughly the same as that installed to support Starbase’s second launch pad.”
Both KSC and Canaveral sites have undergone environmental impact reviews. Canaveral’s SLC-37 was previously used by the United Launch Alliance, but the company ran its final Delta IV Head Launch last year.
“SpaceX has limited access to PAD 37 to carry out further due diligence at the site to advance environmental impact research led by the Air Force Department,” Huot said. “In the end, we’ll have production integration, renovation and launch facilities in both Florida and Texas.”
One of the major infrastructure already occurring in both Texas and Florida is the processing facility SpaceX calls “Gigabay.”
Giga Bay is 380 feet tall and has approximately 46.5 million cubic feet of interior processing space and 815,000 square feet of work space. The Florida location will build a Hangar X for adjacent SpaceX at KSC properties.
“As the name suggests, more spacecraft will be able to be processed simultaneously in the current Megabay,” says Huot.
In comparison, the KSC vehicle assembly building is 525 feet tall and includes 129 million cubic feet of interior within a 344,000 square foot base.
The space includes ground level, advanced platform work areas, and work and meeting spaces on the top floor. The 266-foot-high work space can support spacecraft and ultra-heavy rocket stages separately. When stacked on a launch pad, it reaches 394 feet tall.
The site has 24 work cells for integration and renovation work, along with cranes that can lift up to 400 tons.
SpaceX’s Megabay complex currently in use in Texas is 19 work cells and approximately 11 times the crane lifting capacity.
Works from Florida’s Gigabay and Texas are expected to be completed by the end of 2026.
In addition to Gigabay, SpaceX is in the design and planning stages of a manufacturing facility similar to StarFactory in Texas, building two stages of the rocket.
Before that is complete, SpaceX will need to transport stages from Texas to Florida in the barge and build a fleet on the Space Coast.
“The production, integration, renovation and initiation facilities in Florida and Texas will be in a position to quickly increase spacecraft launch rates with rapid reusability,” the company posted on its website.
Environmental impact studies for both Florida sites began in 2024, but are expected to be completed this year.
“SpaceX’s Gigabay project will help promote Florida’s mission to solidify our state as a hub for aerospace commerce in Florida,” said Rob Long, CEO of Space Florida. “It builds on the foundations we have built over the last decade and accelerates our vision for the future. Florida is the best mind, the boldest innovator and the most advanced investment choice. Success in space requires a holistic approach to infrastructure, strategy and talent, and Florida is leading the way.”
SpaceX’s plan is for hundreds of spacecraft to be launched in a year, part of Musk’s goal of building infrastructure in Florida and potentially other launch sites to create colonies on Mars.
“Florida is the present and future of the space industry where major space companies like SpaceX are investing in the “Free State of Florida,” Gov. Ron Desantis said. “We welcome SpaceX spaceships to the state.”
Original issue: March 3, 2025, 7:14pm EST
