SpaceX is planning to construct a natural gas pipeline in Texas to supply fuel for its Starship launch operations, according to regulatory filings reviewed by Reuters and the Rio Grande Valley Business Journal.
SpaceTechnology
The proposed pipeline would extend approximately eight miles from the Port of Brownsville to the company’s Starbase launch and manufacturing facility. Construction is expected to begin next month, with the pipeline targeted to enter service by Jan. 26, according to the reports.
Pipeline to Support Methane Production
The planned 16-inch pipeline would transport natural gas directly to Starbase, where it would be processed into liquid methane for use as fuel in SpaceX’s Starship launch system.
Reuters reported that SpaceX previously submitted engineering plans to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers outlining a proposed methane liquefaction facility at the Starbase site.
Starship uses liquid methane and liquid oxygen as propellants. According to the reports, each launch requires approximately 630,000 gallons of liquid methane, which is currently delivered to the site by tanker trucks.
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has authorized SpaceX to conduct up to 25 Starship launches annually. Since Starship’s first integrated test flight in April 2023, the company has completed 12 launch attempts.
Environmental Questions Remain
The proposed pipeline has drawn attention because it would be built near environmentally sensitive wetlands surrounding the Starbase area.
According to Reuters, land records also indicate that SpaceX has explored drilling activity near the launch complex and at other locations in Texas as part of its broader infrastructure development.
If approved, the pipeline would reduce the company’s reliance on truck deliveries for methane fuel and support higher launch frequencies as SpaceX expands testing and future operational missions for the Starship program.
