Elon Musk lands in Temple amid Terafab chip factory site considerations

Elon Musk flew from Moffett Federal Airfield near Mountain View, California, to Draughon Miller Central Texas Regional Airport in Temple, Texas, on May 8, 2026. Aboard his Gulfstream G650ER with tail number N628TS, the journey lasted 2 hours and 50 minutes, reaching a maximum altitude of 45,050 feet and speeds up to 595 knots. The route bridged his Bay Area operations and Texas strongholds in a single hop.

The timing aligns with fresh developments in Musk's Terafab project, as SpaceX proposed an initial $55 billion investment for a massive chip manufacturing facility, per a Reuters report on May 6. Grimes County, roughly 80 miles east of Temple, emerged as a prime location contender, with the plant set to supply semiconductors for Tesla's autonomous driving tech, SpaceX's satellite constellations, and xAI's Grok models. Such a venture could balloon to $119 billion, underscoring Musk's push for domestic chip independence amid global shortages.

Musk's aerial itinerary this week reflects a pattern of cross-country dashes: from Portland to Silicon Valley, then Los Angeles and Brownsville's Starbase, before wheeling back to Central Texas. With Tesla and SpaceX headquartered in Austin and his xAI roots in the Bay, these flights knit his sprawling empire, even as he eyes further Texas entrenchment post his 2020 California exit.