
SpaceX is spending $100bn on a second Starbase, on an old Exxon site in Louisiana
THE SO WHAT
A $100B self-sustaining spaceport on a former Exxon site is industrial policy by other means—tying heavy launch, energy, and Gulf Coast logistics into a single private node. For operators in energy, petrochem, or heavy manufacturing, expect downstream pressure on Gulf infrastructure, talent, and permitting as space and energy capex start to collide.
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