Elon Musk says he's refocusing on Tesla. Satellite images show Musk's growing business empire in Texas.
Since 2020, all of Elon Musk's major companies have moved headquarters to Texas. This includes Tesla, SpaceX, X, and The Boring Company.
Apr 24, 2025 - 01:29
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In the last five years, Elon Musk has moved all of his major companies' headquarters to Texas.
MAXAR / Getty Images
Since 2020, all of Elon Musk's major companies have moved their headquarters to Texas.
Satellite images show how SpaceX, Tesla, X, and The Boring Company have expanded in recent years.
Texas may be Musk's new business hub, but it's not the only place he's expanding.
You don't have to spy from space to know Elon Musk is growing his business empire in Texas, but it shows just how massive his impact is becoming.
This week, Musk announced he plans to step back from the DOGE office in May to focus more time on Tesla. Before Tuesday, Tesla stock was down 44% this year.
Musk has said that he's led his companies "with great difficulty" during his time with DOGE. His stepping back might give him more time to refocus on his other core companies, too, all of which have a growing footprint in Texas.
In the late 2010s, Musk had grown increasingly discontent with California laws and regulations and decided that Texas offered a more business-friendly environment.
So, in 2020, Musk's tunneling firm, The Boring Company, moved its headquarters from California to Texas, followed by Tesla in 2021 and X and SpaceX in 2024. Musk's smaller companies, Neuralink and X.AI, also have ties to Texas.
The satellite images below show his business's exponential growth across the Lone Star state over the last few years, and what Musk has in store next. Musk did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.
SpaceX bought land in Texas in 2012 near Boca Chica Village. The small community near the Mexico border had about 30 homes back then.
Boca Chica in 2010, several years before SpaceX started building.
Maxar
To make way for its new rocket launch site — Starbase — SpaceX tried to buy out locals, telling some it was "not safe" to live there anymore. Many took the buyout, some stayed.
Boca Chica in 2020, several years after SpaceX began building its launch facility.
Maxar
SpaceX is testing the world's largest rocket at Starbase. Potential pollution from launches and explosions has some environmentalists concerned for nearby water systems and wildlife habitats.
Before and after satellite images of Boca Chica Village, Texas, in 2002 before SpaceX moved in and in 2023, showing a well-developed Starbase with Starship prototypes.
Maxar / Business Insider
About 500 people now live in Boca Chica, even Musk has a home there. On May 3, its residents are scheduled to vote on whether to make Starbase its own city.
Before and after satellite images of Boca Chica in 2002 (left) before Starbase existed and in 2025 (right).
Maxar / Business Insider
About 350 miles north is Bastrop, which has gone from featureless farmland to a massive corporate campground for several of Musk's companies.
Satellite images of Bastrop, Texas in 2021 (left) and 2024 (right).
Maxar / Business Insider
Recently, Texas awarded SpaceX a $17.3 million grant to expand its Starlink satellite manufacturing facility in Bastrop. Headquarters for X and The Boring Company are also here.
Satellite image of Bastrop, Texas and facilities for Starlink, X, and The Boring Company.
Maxar / Business Insider
Satellite images suggest that The Boring Company's machines are building tunnels under the road.
Satellite image of The Boring Company in Bastrop, Texas, in 2024.
Maxar / Business Insider
Boring has also been building an 80,000 square-foot manufacturing warehouse — almost large enough to fit 1.5 American football fields.
The Boring Company facility in Bastrop, Texas.
Brandon Bell/Getty Images
Boring's warehouse is nothing compared to Tesla's gigafactory, located about 30 miles north, outside Austin. This complex covers 10,000,000 square feet — enough to fit 173 football fields.
Before-and-after showing broken ground for Tesla's gigafactory in 2020 (left) and the gigafactory itself in 2025 (right).
Maxar / Business Insider
Musk's brain-computer interface company, Neuralink, is also planning to expand in the Austin area by building a $14.7 million facility in Del Valle.
Musk founded Neuralink to developing brain-computer interfaces.
Future Publishing
In addition to corporate and manufacturing facilities, Musk is expanding his educational footprint in Texas, too. Just down the road in Bastrop is the Ad Astra school for ages 3-9.
Satellite image of Bastrop, Texas, shows Ad Astra school just down the road from Starlink, X, and The Boring Company facilities.
Maxar / Business Insider
Musk is also planning on building 110 homes on a plot near the Ad Astra school. He's calling the housing development "Project Amazing."
Satellite image of Bastrop, Texas, with a sketch outlining what "Project Amazing" plans to look like.
Maxar / Business Insider
Musk opened another Ad Astra school in Brownsville, near Boca Chica, that closed in 2023. SpaceX recently filed a permit to start construction on a new Ad Astra, which is estimated to cost $20,000,000.
Satellite image of the area in Brownsville, Texas, where Musk developed his first Ad Astra school. In 2019 (left) it was mostly undeveloped but by 2025 (right) several buildings had been built.
Maxar / Business Insider
Texas isn't the only place where Musk is expanding his business. Tesla has a gigafactory in China…
Satellite images of Tesla gigafactory in China before it was built in 2014 (left) and after in 2024 (right).
Maxar / Business Insider
…and another in Grünheide, Germany. It's Tesla's first manufacturing plant in Europe.
Satellite images show Tesla gigafactory in Germany in 2021 (left) and 2025 (right).
Maxar / Business Insider
Watch this video for more on Musk's growing global empire.
