SpaceX to build 'Starpipe' gas pipeline to fuel Starship rockets
What's the story
SpaceX, the space exploration company founded by Elon Musk, is gearing up to build a natural gas pipeline named 'Starpipe.' The project will supply fuel to the company's Starbase launch site in Texas. The 13-kilometer pipeline will replace the current method of transporting liquid methane via tanker trucks for each Starship launch. It is expected to be operational by January next year.
Strategic move
The pipeline will be built on an 83-acre site
The Starpipe will be built on an 83-acre site at the Port of Brownsville. This is part of SpaceX's strategy to speed up Starship launches, which currently take several hours due to the liquid methane transport process. The company has already conducted 12 test launches since 2023 and plans to increase this rate in the coming years.
Fuel independence
SpaceX has been trying to secure natural gas supplies
The Starpipe project is a key part of SpaceX's larger plan to develop its own fuel supply. The company has been looking into natural gas drilling opportunities near Starbase and across Texas for years. It has also acquired over 100 oil and gas leases in Texas since 2023, according to Cameron County land records reviewed by Reuters.
Industry insights
Doable, but not impossible
Texas oil and gas consultant Stan Lindsey has expressed doubts about SpaceX's ability to extract natural gas, given its lack of experience in this sector. However, he also said that the plan is not impossible and could work out for the company. If their drilling plans don't pan out, they have a backup with Starpipe, Lindsey added.