SpaceX Files Permits for Giant Solar Factory Near Austin — The Scale Is Staggering

Image: SpaceX

SpaceX is preparing to build a giant solar factory near Austin that would be capable of producing 10 gigawatts of solar power equipment, according to permit filings submitted to Bastrop County, reports Bloomberg.

The project, if approved and completed, would create one of the largest solar manufacturing facilities in the United States. A 10-gigawatt factory could produce enough solar panels each year to power millions of homes.

The company already operates its Starbase facility in Texas and has major operations in the Austin area, including its vehicle manufacturing plant.

The facility is set to produce advanced solar technology for both next-generation Starlink satellites and Elon Musk’s long-term vision of orbital data centres. These space-based computing hubs would leverage constant solar energy to bypass Earth’s power grid constraints, helping to meet the massive global demand for AI processing.

This new project builds on SpaceX’s existing footprint in Bastrop, where the company already employs over 1,000 people at its large Starlink production hub. By manufacturing solar cells domestically, SpaceX aims to scale up the power systems needed for thousands of future satellites.

On the financial front, the company is moving quickly toward an initial public offering. SpaceX has filed its S-1 prospectus and is eyeing a Nasdaq debut as early as mid-June 2026 under the ticker SPCX. With a potential valuation north of $1 trillion, the IPO would be one of the largest in history, providing the capital needed to fuel Starship development, expand Starlink, and build out this ambitious orbital AI infrastructure.

Construction in Bastrop is already underway, marking a major shift for the company as it becomes a powerhouse in both aerospace and advanced energy manufacturing.