SpaceX is exploring the possibility of hiring Technip Energies, a French company known for its expertise in liquefied natural gas (LNG), to build a fuel production facility at its upcoming space base in Louisiana. This facility would supply the fuel needed for launches of the company’s Starship megarocket, a spacecraft designed for deep-space missions and lunar or Mars landings. Each Starship launch is expected to use around 2 million liters of liquid methane, a clean-burning fuel that SpaceX has chosen for its rockets due to its efficiency and potential for in-situ resource utilization on other planets. The proposed project is a key part of SpaceX’s strategy to accelerate its ambitious space goals, including upcoming high-profile launches like that of the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, which will advance our understanding of the universe. Technip Energies has suggested using a design similar to its Commonwealth LNG project in Louisiana, a facility capable of producing 9.5 million tons of LNG annually. This would be adapted to produce the liquid methane needed for Starship launches. Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, has set a strict timeline for the project, aiming to complete the fuel production installation within 36 months. If all goes according to plan, the first Starship launches from the Louisiana base could occur as early as 2029. This timeline is crucial for SpaceX as it seeks to meet its aggressive goals for expanding space exploration and commercial operations. The winner of the tender for the fuel production site is expected to be announced on Tuesday, September 2. The outcome of this bid will play a significant role in determining the pace of SpaceX’s development at its new Louisiana base and its ability to support the Starship program.