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Cape Canaveral, FL – SpaceX has announced a significant expansion of its Starship program, bringing production, integration, and launch capabilities to Florida’s Space Coast. The move, detailed in a recent update on the company’s website and shared via social media, marks a pivotal step in SpaceX’s mission to make humanity multiplanetary while enhancing U.S. leadership in space exploration and national security.

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In addition to ongoing infrastructure development at Starbase, Texas—SpaceX’s headquarters—the company is now focusing on establishing a robust Starship presence at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. This expansion includes the construction of a massive new integration facility, dubbed Gigabay, adjacent to SpaceX’s HangarX at Kennedy Space Center. Standing 380 feet tall, Gigabay will offer approximately 46.5 million cubic feet of interior processing space and 815,000 square feet of workspace, equipped with 24 work cells, elevated platforms, and cranes capable of lifting up to 400 U.S. tons. This facility, set to be operational by the end of 2026, will dwarf SpaceX’s existing Megabay facilities in Texas, providing over 11 times the workspace and nearly double the lifting capacity.

SpaceX also plans to complete a Starship launch and catch site at Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at Kennedy Space Center this year, incorporating lessons learned from the company’s first two Starship pads at Starbase. The site will feature a state-of-the-art deflector system for cooling and sound suppression during launches and catches, similar to the system being installed at Starbase’s second pad. Pending the completion of environmental reviews, SpaceX aims to conduct Starship’s first Florida launch from LC-39A in late 2025, further solidifying the Space Coast as a hub for cutting-edge spaceflight operations.

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The expansion extends to Space Launch Complex 37 (SLC-37) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, where SpaceX is exploring additional Starship launch opportunities. The company has secured a limited Right of Entry to conduct due diligence and environmental impact studies, led by the Department of the Air Force, to enable future Starship and Super Heavy operations at this historic site, previously used for NASA’s Apollo-era Saturn rockets and the Delta IV program.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis praised the announcement, tweeting his congratulations to SpaceX and urging NASA to reconsider its expensive new headquarters in Washington, D.C., in favor of relocating to the Sunshine State. “With leading space companies—now including SpaceX—investing in the Free State of Florida, NASA should scrap their expensive new HQ in D.C. and consider moving to Florida as well,” DeSantis wrote, highlighting the state’s growing role in the space industry.

Congratulations to @SpaceX on your recently announced plans to bring Starship operations to Florida.
 
With leading space companies—now including SpaceX—investing in the Free State of Florida, NASA should scrap their expensive new HQ in D.C. and consider moving to Florida as… https://t.co/JNLtqpvcq3

— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) March 4, 2025

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The expansion will significantly boost Starship’s production and launch cadence, leveraging Florida’s strategic location and existing space infrastructure. SpaceX intends to transport completed Starship upper stages and Super Heavy boosters from Starbase to Florida via barge, building an initial fleet while construction of the Space Coast’s manufacturing and integration facilities progresses. This dual-site strategy, combining operations in Texas and Florida, positions SpaceX to rapidly increase Starship’s flight rate, crucial for its ambitious goals of enabling on-orbit refueling, supporting NASA’s Artemis program, and transporting millions of tons of payload to Mars to establish a self-sustaining human presence.

The Space Coast, already a historic launch hub with NASA’s Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, stands to benefit economically and technologically from this investment. The region’s proximity to SpaceX’s Dragon recovery operations and its established aerospace workforce make it an ideal location for scaling Starship’s rapid reusability—a cornerstone of SpaceX’s vision to transform space access and reduce costs dramatically.

SpaceX’s Florida expansion highlights its commitment to national priorities, including U.S. leadership in science, exploration, and economic growth, while advancing the company’s ultimate goal of making life multiplanetary. As construction begins on Gigabay and other facilities, the Space Coast is poised to play a central role in the next chapter of human spaceflight.

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