MCGREGOR, Texas — Explosions, shakes, and rattling, it’s something neighbors in McGregor feel they can’t escape.
SpaceX has been testing rockets in McGregor since 2003.
While some welcome being a part of innovation…
“I am a pilot, I fly planes and to be able to have more satellites and more knowledge about the atmosphere and space in general is really great,” McGregor resident Lizzie Saunders said.
Others are at their breaking point.
“SpaceX is like when it goes off, sometimes it’s just mild and sometimes it’s so bad you can’t even stand on the ground. The foundation on my house is shifting badly. I got four busted windows because of it and I got another one cracking," McGregor resident Thomas Parham said.
The city said that SpaceX notified them about the increased testing.
After several people told me their concern with late night testing, I asked the city about the SpaceX curfew.
“The lease agreement used to allow them to go up until midnight. Now they can go up until eleven but between nine and eleven they cannot test anything over 500 pounds or half a million pounds of thrust,” McGregor City Manager Kevin Evans said.
Evans told me that each violation of curfew can cost SpaceX up to $25,000.
He also said people with damage complaints should contact SpaceX directly.
But testing is part of a greater mission to the stars...
“SpaceX is a very good neighbor; they're a big part of this community. I find a lot more folks that love them. There are people that have an issue and I fully understand that but they’re making history out there,” Evans said.
