SpaceX eyes global spaceports as Starship launch ambitions grow ahead of IPO

May 12 (Reuters) - SpaceX is scouting potential U.S. and overseas locations to build "spaceports", CEO Elon Musk said in a post on X on Tuesday, as the company prepares for a future in which its massive Starship rocket could launch thousands of times a year.

Unlike traditional expendable rockets, Starship is designed for rapid reuse with minimal refurbishment, a capability SpaceX says is essential for lowering launch costs and enabling thousands of flights annually.

The fully reusable rocket system, designed to carry more than 100 metric tons of cargo, is central to Musk's long-term plans for Mars colonization, satellite deployment and rapid global transportation.

"It's no secret that we intend to launch Starship a lot, targeting thousands of flights per year," the company also said in a statement posted online, adding that such a cadence would require launches from "many different locations."

Musk had previously said future spaceports could operate more like airports, handling multiple launches a day with rapid rocket turnaround times.

SpaceX is targeting a June listing, which is expected to be the world's biggest initial public offering, as the rocket maker seeks to raise as much as $75 billion at a valuation of roughly $1.75 trillion, sources had earlier told Reuters.

It currently launches Starship test flights from its Starbase facility in Texas and is developing additional infrastructure in Florida. The expansion push comes as commercial launch activity surges globally, straining capacity at major launch sites.

SpaceX said Starship's twelfth test flight, scheduled as soon as May 19, would debut next-generation versions of the rocket, Super Heavy booster and Raptor engines as it tests upgrades aimed at enabling full and rapid rocket reusability.