A rendering of the SpaceX Starship facility at Kennedy Space Center In Brevard County. (Image/Rendering source: SpaceX)
SpaceX is bringing its groundbreaking Starship program to Florida, marking a major expansion of its operations on the Space Coast. The company announced that it will build a new production and launch facility, aiming to significantly increase Starship’s flight rate and bring fully reusable spaceflight closer to reality.
A Bold Step Forward
SpaceX President and COO Gwynne Shotwell shared the excitement on X, saying “really big things coming to Florida!”
The company also confirmed its goal of launching Starship from Florida as early as this year.
While testing and development continue at Starbase, Texas, SpaceX is constructing a massive new integration facility called Gigabay near its HangarX location at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC). This expansion is expected to accelerate Starship’s production and launch cadence, strengthening the Space Coast’s role in commercial spaceflight.
Gigabay: A State-of-the-Art Facility
The new Gigabay facility will be a 380-foot-tall engineering marvel, featuring 46.5 million cubic feet of processing space. It will house 24 high-tech work cells for Starship and Super Heavy vehicle integration and refurbishment. Gigabay will also include massive cranes capable of lifting up to 400 US tons, making it significantly larger and more advanced than SpaceX’s existing Megabay facility in Texas.
Construction of Gigabay is already underway, with completion expected by the end of 2026. Simultaneously, SpaceX is developing a similar facility at Starbase, Texas, ensuring parallel production capabilities at both locations.
Building a Starship Fleet
Until Gigabay is operational, Starship upper-stage Ships and Super Heavy boosters will continue to be built in Texas and transported to Florida via barge. Once fully established, the Florida site will support integrated production, refurbishment, and launch operations, allowing SpaceX to scale up missions efficiently.
Launch Complex 39A Nears Completion
SpaceX is also moving forward with completing its Starship launch pad at KSC’s Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A), a site that has been under development for several years. The company anticipates finishing construction this year, ensuring Starship can launch from Florida soon.
Additionally, SpaceX is conducting environmental impact assessments to explore future Starship operations at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 37 (SLC-37). This historic site, once home to Apollo and Delta IV launches, could play a crucial role in SpaceX’s long-term plans, including launching cargo, crew, and propellant tankers for in-orbit refueling.
A New Era for the Space Coast
With these expansions, SpaceX is solidifying Florida’s position as a key hub for deep-space exploration. The rapid advancements in Starship technology are bringing humanity closer to becoming a multi-planetary species, with the ultimate vision of establishing a self-sustaining city on Mars.
The future of space travel is unfolding in Brevard County, and SpaceX is leading the charge. As Starship production and launch operations take off in Florida, the dream of interplanetary exploration is becoming a reality faster than ever before.
