SpaceX plans to begin construction next month on an eight-mile natural gas pipeline designed to supply its Starbase launch facilities in South Texas, as the company moves to support a significant increase in launches of its Starship rocket programme.
According to filings submitted to the Texas Railroad Commission by Lone Star Mineral Development, a SpaceX affiliate, the pipeline — known as Starpipe — will connect directly to the company’s growing operations at Starbase and is expected to be operational by 26 January.
The project forms part of SpaceX’s broader strategy to streamline fuel supply for Starship, the world’s largest and most powerful rocket. Each launch consumes approximately 630,000 gallons of liquid methane, which is currently transported to the launch site by hundreds of tanker trucks in a process that can take several hours.
SpaceX has conducted 12 Starship test flights since 2023 and is seeking to dramatically increase launch frequency in the coming years. The company has outlined ambitions to move from dozens of launches annually to hundreds and eventually thousands as it scales up operations.
Speaking on 12 June, SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell revealed that the company intends to build pipeline infrastructure and produce its own rocket propellant. She also disclosed that SpaceX is exploring the possibility of drilling for its own natural gas supplies.
The proposed pipeline will originate from an 83-acre parcel of land at the Port of Brownsville, which SpaceX is currently negotiating to lease from the city under a 50-year agreement, according to a port official.
Further engineering plans filed with the US Army Corps of Engineers indicate that SpaceX intends to construct a liquefaction facility at Starbase. The facility would convert piped natural gas into liquid methane, allowing the company to produce rocket fuel on-site and reduce its reliance on road transport.
SpaceX’s expansion into fuel infrastructure reflects the growing importance of Starship to the company’s long-term ambitions. The rocket is expected to play a central role in expanding the Starlink satellite broadband network, deploying future orbital data centre infrastructure, and carrying astronauts on missions to the Moon and, ultimately, Mars.
The company has also increased its presence in the Texas energy sector, signing more than 100 oil and gas leases with local property owners since 2023, according to land records.
The Starpipe project marks another step in SpaceX’s efforts to build a vertically integrated spaceflight operation, enabling the company to support higher launch rates while reducing logistical constraints associated with fuel transportation.
