Vermilion Parish
“SpaceX said August 25 that it plans to invest $100 billion in a massive new launch facility on Louisiana’s Gulf Coast, a development that could bring a new type of industrial activity to the state’s working coast and eventually require coordination between space operations and marine traffic in the Gulf.
“The company plans to develop the 125,000-acre site in Vermilion Parish as its fourth and largest launch facility, with the capacity to support thousands of launches annually. (emphasis applied–Chuck) Construction is expected to begin in 2027, with the first launch targeted for as early as 2029.
This might be important.
The report notes, “…barge transportation has also been identified as one of the logistical advantages of the location…The U.S. Coast Guard already works with the Federal Aviation Administration, NASA and commercial space operators, including SpaceX, to address risks that launch operations can pose to vessels and navigable waters. Depending on the location and trajectory of a launch, those measures can include temporary safety or restricted areas and notices advising mariners of potential hazards.”
When I first heard about this, I was worried that it might impact traffic on the Mississippi, but looks like that is unlikely given the geography.
Will the Coast Guard need to provide waterside security? If so the nearest WPCs are based in Galveston, TX and Pascagoula, Mississippi. The Navy League 2026 Almanac tells me USCGC Yellowfin (WPB-87319) is in Abbevile, LA. That is within the Parish.
Vermilion Parish: The parish seat is Abbeville. Vermilion Parish is part of the Lafayette metropolitan statistical area, and located in southern Acadiana. At the 2020 U.S. census, the population was 57,359.
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