Elon Musk says SpaceX will build its own gas turbine parts to meet surging AI power demand

SpaceX is establishing its own gas turbine blade and vane foundry in Bastrop, Texas, to overcome global supply bottlenecks and power its expanding artificial intelligence infrastructure. Elon Musk announced that bringing turbine component casting in-house could accelerate the deployment of natural gas turbines by up to 18 months, describing the move as a critical step to ensure adequate electricity supplies. While SpaceX and Tesla continue to expand solar panel production, Musk noted that solar alone cannot satisfy near-term power demand for AI data centers, necessitating supplemental natural gas generation. The company is actively hiring for foundry positions to produce blades and vanes—components known for high manufacturing complexity—to power its facilities. The strategic initiative comes as tech giants face widespread grid constraints, leading companies like Microsoft, Amazon, and Meta to turn toward natural gas power plants. SpaceX itself spent $16 billion on AI infrastructure in Q2 2026, with similar capital expenditure planned over upcoming quarters, emphasizing the growing integration between aerospace engineering, advanced manufacturing, and data center energy solutions.