SpaceX Plans 'Starpipe' Natural Gas Pipeline to Fuel Starship Launches
SpaceX is moving into natural gas infrastructure-typically an energy-sector domain-to control its supply chain and enable the high launch cadence required for its satellite deployment plans.
Reporting from 1 sources: GIGAZINE.
SpaceX, through affiliate Lone Star Mineral Development, has filed documents to build a 13-km natural gas pipeline called 'Starpipe' from a natural gas facility to its Starbase site. The pipeline aims to support increased Starship launch frequency beyond the current truck-delivered fuel capacity, as SpaceX targets thousands of launches per year and up to 1 million satellites by 2027.
SpaceX is building its own natural gas pipeline to fuel Starship rockets, according to documents submitted to the Texas Railroad Commission by affiliate Lone Star Mineral Development. The 13-km pipeline, named 'Starpipe,' would run from a natural gas facility to SpaceX's company town Starbase. Each Starship launch consumes about 2.4 million liters of liquid methane, currently delivered by hundreds of tanker trucks over hours, limiting consecutive launches. The 16-inch-diameter pipeline exceeds the capacity needed for the 25 annual launches the FAA has approved. SpaceX also plans its own gas extraction operations and has signed over 100 oil and gas leases with Texas landowners since 2023.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 1 cited source below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.