SpaceX Closing Florida Starship Site

SpaceX has had two sites building its new Starship prototypes, one in Boca Chica, Texas and one in Cocoa Beach in Florida. It now looks like the Florida site is being shut down, possibly temp;orarily, and important hardware is being moved to Texas.

Combining the appearance of Starship hardware on GO Discovery just yesterday and reports of major Cocoa layoffs, it’s all but certain that the Starship components on Discovery are going to head to Boca Chica, Texas. Schlang’s source also indicated that all affected employees were given the option to transfer to Boca Chica or Hawthorne, a prime indication that this abrupt change in plans is more a strategic move than a financial one. With any luck, most affected employees will be able to transfer to Florida pad operations or Boca Chica, although such a major and abrupt change is likely a no-go for anyone with major ties to South Florida.

According to the article, SpaceX will focus on Starship development in Texas, at least for the Mk3 prototype. Future development in Florida will likely take place at the main SpaceX site, removing the need to transport the vehicle over public land.