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Work on the 380-foot-tall launchpad could begin as soon as April, according to new FAA documents.
Published Feb. 21, 2025
SpaceX’s Polaris Dawn Falcon 9 rocket sits on a Launch Pad at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on Sept. 9, 2024, in Cape Canaveral, Fla.
Joe Raedle via Getty Images
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Construction of SpaceX’s Gigabay in Cape Canaveral, Florida, is set for launch.
Federal Aviation Administration documents created last month indicate construction on the space exploration technology company’s new Starship Gigabay launchpad could begin as soon as April and wrap up in August 2026. That timeline matches up with SpaceX’s goal of sending an unmanned ship to Mars by 2026.
The documents list the project as a “work in progress” and indicate that the launchpad’s structure will be 380 feet tall. The cost of the project is not mentioned and no general contractor has been announced.
The coordinates listed by the FAA show the Gigabay will be close to SpaceX’s Roberts Road facilities. That location is beyond a security gate by the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, which means it’s not visible to the general public, Florida Today reported.
SpaceX is led by Elon Musk, the richest man in the world and leader of President Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency.
The company already has a Megabay in Texas. The Gigabay would be used in the same manner, to stack and prep the firm’s 232-foot-tall Super Heavy rockets before flight. The Super Heavy rocket is the reusable first stage of SpaceX’s Starship launch vehicle. When fully stacked, the Starship rockets reach over 400 feet in height, per Florida Today.
The space exploration firm has completed a number of facilities around the country, including:
- The Build Facility at SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, California, where it designs and builds the reusable rockets.
- A 4,000-acre rocket testing and development facility in McGregor, Texas, which features 16 specialized test stands.
- A space launch complex in Cape Canaveral.
In Texas, SpaceX has rapidly expanded its business by constructing facilities and office buildings, but a Reuters investigation found the firm can be slow to pay builders and suppliers. A number of unpaid bills have led contractors to file liens against SpaceX properties to get compensation for their work, Reuters reported.
