SpaceX Starbase: SpaceX’s Starbase is a cutting-edge launch and testing facility pivotal to SpaceX’s ambitious space exploration goals. As the primary site for developing and testing the Starship rockets, Starbase includes advanced launch pads, manufacturing units, and testing areas. Starbase is now an incorporated Texas city, after residents voted in May 2025 to incorporate, and it serves as SpaceX’s headquarters, consolidating the company’s operations in a business-friendly environment. SpaceX’s presence has become a major driver of the regional economy: a Cameron County impact study credits its Starbase operations with more than $13 billion in economic impact over two years, about 4,300 people employed at the site, and roughly $147 million spent with local suppliers in 2024 (sources: RGV Business Journal and NBC News). This positions Starbase as a key player in future space missions, including planned crewed missions to Mars.
Paragon VTOL Aerospace: Paragon VTOL Aerospace has established its manufacturing hub in Brownsville, Texas, positioning the city as a leader in vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) technology. Paragon VTOL Aerospace is located at the Brownsville/South Padre Island International Airport and focuses on developing sustainable VTOL aircraft for cargo and passenger transport. The company has partnered strategically with industry leaders like Rolls Royce and S&C Electric to advance its innovative technologies. With plans to pioneer the urban air taxi movement in the Rio Grande Valley, Paragon VTOL Aerospace is set to transform Brownsville into a hub for cutting-edge aerospace advancements.