STARGATE was a radio-frequency technology facility in southern Texas near Boca Chica, created to give University of Texas at Brownsville students and faculty practical experience with spaceflight tracking and communications systems while supporting radio astronomy and spacecraft monitoring research. Proposed in 2012 by Fredrick “Rick” Jenet, it received early local backing as Brownsville sought to attract a SpaceX launch site. After SpaceX chose Boca Chica, land and funding for the project expanded, and refurbished tracking antennas were installed. As SpaceX grew, the facility’s role shifted: its main site was leased in 2019 and later sold to SpaceX, then demolished in 2025, reflecting Boca Chica’s transformation into a private spaceflight center.