Elon Musk is an extremely successful US businessman known for being the wealthiest person in the world right now, due to his numerous financial endeavours and ideas that have catapulted him to such a position. He is most well-known for pioneering Tesla, X, and SpaceX as well as the Department of Government Efficiency. His work has had widespread impact across America and the globe, and he is nowhere near slowing down.
Musk moves his operations to Texas amidst tension with governmental regulations
Besides purchasing the land for their rocket launch site in Texas back in the 2010s, Musk has, for the most part, operated out of California on the West Coast of the USA. Both X and SpaceX had their headquarters in this sunny state until Musk reportedly became fed up with the government of California and promptly moved his operations to Texas, where he already has land. Following a potential ruling where schools were banned from informing parents whether their children used certain pronouns, Musk had seen enough. In a tweet, he stated:
This is the final straw. Because of this law and the many others that preceded it, attacking both families and companies, SpaceX will now move its HQ from Hawthorne, California, to Starbase, Texas.
And so, Musk decided to further establish himself and his business in Texas, where he deemed the people and governmental regulations more suited to his work. But it didn’t stop there. Musk is now shooting even higher and is in the process of almost running this small part of coastal Texas, where his launch site lies.
The next step for the wealthiest man in the world
When you have all the wealth, money, and fame in the world, what do you do next? For Musk, the answer is simple: create your own corporate city! Having three highly affluent companies and constantly producing innovative designs, Musk now has the wealth and resources to establish his very own city in the south of Texas. Located strategically around SpaceX’s huge rocket site, this upcoming village is becoming a home base for many of Musk’s employees. Aptly named Starbase, the town has already received the multiple signatures needed to become a registered municipality.
Starbase currently has over 500 inhabitants and is rising. The area is reportedly larger than Central Park, and almost exclusively home to SpaceX employees and their children. Starbase’s general manager, Kathryn Lueders, notes:
“Incorporating Starbase will streamline the processes required to build the amenities necessary to make the area a world-class place to live – for the hundreds already calling it home, as well as for prospective workers eager to help build humanity’s future in space”
Locals push back at Musk’s visionary plans for a corporate city
While Musk shows excitement at the growth of Starbase and what it can offer for future research, neighbouring residents are not as pleased. Starbase finds itself located in a very important ecological area called Boca Chica, host to numerous wildlife, plants, and birdlife crucial to the Texas environment. Concerns surrounding air pollution, habitat destruction, noise, and water pollution are rising among defenders.
Environmentalist and anthropologist Christopher Basaldú states:
“SpaceX has already proven itself to be an extremely bad neighbour.”
With new rocket launches and research that was not included in the original environmental reviews, damage to the area could get way out of hand. Musk has brushed concerns aside, stating:
“We’ve got a lot of land with nobody around, and so if it blows up, it’s cool.”
Unfortunately, this is not the case, as the risk of falling debris, wildfires, and further destruction from rocket launches is a major issue for the surrounding landscape. No stranger to penalties, Musk may need to look at adjusting his plans to accommodate the environment to avoid further consequences.
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