October 16, 2026 · Brownsville · Land

County deeds show SpaceX bought about 1,500 acres near the Port, more than 3 times the 444 acres Brownsville released

Two deeds recorded with the Cameron County Clerk in September show SpaceX bought the surface of about 1,500 acres east of Brownsville, from the Rio Grande north past Highway 48. That is more than 3 times the 444 acres Brownsville released for SpaceX in August.

• The main deed: dated Sept. 11 and recorded Sept. 18, 2026 (document 2026-34223), it gives Space Exploration Technologies Corp. "an undivided 98.3225720% interest, being all of Grantor's interest, in the Surface Only of Approximately 1,414.68 ACRES" in three tracts. The sellers are a group of family partnerships, trusts, companies and individuals.
• The second deed: recorded Sept. 21, 2026 (document 2026-34443), it covers the surface of 86.26 acres on the south side of the Brownsville Ship Channel. Linde Inc., the industrial gas company, bought that tract from the same sellers under a deed dated Sept. 11, then deeded the surface to SpaceX effective Sept. 14. 1,414.68 plus 86.26 acres is about 1,500.
• Where it is: Tract I, 157.34 acres, runs from Highway 4 (Boca Chica Boulevard) south to the Rio Grande. Tract II, 363.90 acres, runs north from Highway 4, and Linde's 86.26 acres carry it to the ship channel. Tract III, 893.44 acres, runs about 4.8 miles north from Highway 48. End to end, the tracts span almost 9 miles.
• The 444 acres: Tract II and the Linde tract line up with the 444.46-acre site Starbase annexed in September, by the survey calls in Starbase Ordinance 2026-25 (recorded document 2026-35765). Tracts I and III, about 1,050 acres, sit outside it.
• What the sellers kept: the oil, gas and other minerals, their water rights, and the right to two drill sites of up to 3 acres each. SpaceX bought the surface only. No price is listed: each deed lists only $10 "and other good and valuable consideration."

What it is for: SpaceX hasn't said. In August, the RGV Business Journal reported the land was under contract from 28 landowners for an undisclosed price, and that officials said the section south of Boca Chica Boulevard "is expected to be converted into an industrial park for its vendors." We found no public word on plans for Tract III, north of Highway 48. The 2.01-acre site SpaceX gave Starbase for emergency services on Highway 48 comes out of that tract, per the city's Oct. 7 packet.

Why it matters here: Brownsville released 444 acres; SpaceX's purchase reached from the river to the land north of Highway 48. Our story on the 444-acre annexation. Our Oct. 7 story on the Starbase packet. Next: what the recorded deeds show on SpaceX's land swap with the refuge.

Sources: Cameron County Clerk, document 2026-34223 (Special Warranty Deed, 1,414.68 acres) · document 2026-34443 (Linde Inc. to SpaceX, 86.26 acres) · document 2026-34250 (sellers to Linde Inc.) · document 2026-35765 (Starbase Ordinance 2026-25) · RGV Business Journal, Aug. 30 · Brownsville Herald (MyRGV), Aug. 29 · Aerial: USDA NAIP via USGS The National Map (public domain); tract lines plotted by Gateway to Mars from the deeds' survey calls

Know before the next launch: get free Launch Alerts by email, or follow us on X, Facebook and WhatsApp.