SpaceX Progress; One Step Forward, Two Steps Back
By Diego Garcia III | Editor of The Brownsville Beacon
SpaceX seems to be ramping up their efforts to build another prototype after the catastrophic failure of their MK1 Starship. Elon Musk, SpaceX's swindling head honcho confirmed they would no longer be looking to test-launch the MK1. Instead, they would be halting construction on the MK2 Starship under construction at their Florida facility and start construction on a new MK3 Starship at their Boca Chica facility.
Their other Florida operations would still continue, which include the launching of their Falcon 9 Heavy Rockets, the same rockets that were supposed to be launched from the Boca Chica launch pad. SpaceX said some of their temporary workers had voluntarily left while others were being offered the opportunity to relocate to South Texas to continue work on the MK3.
According to an article released by The Brownsville Herald Sunday evening, some of the rocket parts arrived at the Port of Brownsville within the last couple of days. The parts made their way to the Boca Chica facility where they would presumably be used to help build the new Starship.
The Herald also mentions the Boca Chica facility is looking to hire workers to help with the ramp-up. Steve Clark writes the company is looking for, "engineers, supervisors, technicians, welders, fabricators and pipe benders." He also writes, "New construction is underway on the launch site itself as well, including a sprawling new launch/landing pad."
Musk sent out a tweet saying the MK3 Starship would be a bigger, better Starship than the first two prototypes. He also mentioned the first two would probably never see flight as they are radically changing the design and purpose of the MK3.
Musk believes the launch and tests will come sooner rather than later. He is quoted in the Herald article as saying, "This is going to sound totally nuts, but I think we want to try to reach orbit in less than six months."
It absolutely sounds nuts. While this information is a step in the right direction, it definitely isn't a huge step. I certainly do hope Musk commits to building his third prototype here at Boca Chica. The Boca Chica facility, and SpaceX, have not lived up to the hype, or to their promises. They came to South Texas, built their facility, then changed the purpose of the facility. Initially, they were supposed to launch their Falcon 9 rockets from Boca Chica. Musk then decided to take the Boca Chica facility in a different direction and begin looking towards building a launch vehicle that would take people to Mars.
This change resulted in a huge loss for Brownsville and the Lower Rio Grande Valley. The company promised high paying jobs and peripheral revenue from all the tourists and space enthusiasts who were going to flock to Brownsville to witness these launches.
South Padre Island also got left holding the short end of the stick when the amphitheater they built where people could go watch the rocket launches wouldn't be used as it was intended.
One can hope SpaceX has finally decided to make good on their promise to bring good, high paying jobs to Brownsville. That said, I am not holding my breath. These jobs could explode and vaporize just as easily as the MK1 nosecone did. I hope Musk doesn't wake up one morning and decide to change the direction of the company and the direction of the Boca Chica facility...again.
I get I am one of SpaceX's most vocal critics. I understand why people here want this company to succeed and why they want these launches to happen. I want them to happen just as much as they do. However, I do not have the same optimism they do. SpaceX has shown that they have done nothing but miss deadlines, destroy prototypes, and release potentially harmful gasses into the atmosphere.
I simply want them to do what they said they were going to do. Brownsville, the county, and the state gave them millions of dollars in tax breaks. I want them to start pulling their own weight and start contributing to Brownsville. I don't want to wait a century to see their progress — I don't have that kind of time. I want them to better the community now.
Brownsville took a big gamble on SpaceX, and they have yet to pay off. I can only hope their unfulfilled promises are behind them and they can begin moving forward, taking Brownsville and the rest of the Rio Grande Valley along for the ride.
I hope the days of the flying trashcan are over. I hope better things are just over the horizon for SpaceX and Brownsville.
But for now that's all it is...hope.
SpaceX seems to be ramping up their efforts to build another prototype after the catastrophic failure of their MK1 Starship. Elon Musk, SpaceX's swindling head honcho confirmed they would no longer be looking to test-launch the MK1. Instead, they would be halting construction on the MK2 Starship under construction at their Florida facility and start construction on a new MK3 Starship at their Boca Chica facility.
Their other Florida operations would still continue, which include the launching of their Falcon 9 Heavy Rockets, the same rockets that were supposed to be launched from the Boca Chica launch pad. SpaceX said some of their temporary workers had voluntarily left while others were being offered the opportunity to relocate to South Texas to continue work on the MK3.
According to an article released by The Brownsville Herald Sunday evening, some of the rocket parts arrived at the Port of Brownsville within the last couple of days. The parts made their way to the Boca Chica facility where they would presumably be used to help build the new Starship.
The Herald also mentions the Boca Chica facility is looking to hire workers to help with the ramp-up. Steve Clark writes the company is looking for, "engineers, supervisors, technicians, welders, fabricators and pipe benders." He also writes, "New construction is underway on the launch site itself as well, including a sprawling new launch/landing pad."
Musk sent out a tweet saying the MK3 Starship would be a bigger, better Starship than the first two prototypes. He also mentioned the first two would probably never see flight as they are radically changing the design and purpose of the MK3.
Musk believes the launch and tests will come sooner rather than later. He is quoted in the Herald article as saying, "This is going to sound totally nuts, but I think we want to try to reach orbit in less than six months."
It absolutely sounds nuts. While this information is a step in the right direction, it definitely isn't a huge step. I certainly do hope Musk commits to building his third prototype here at Boca Chica. The Boca Chica facility, and SpaceX, have not lived up to the hype, or to their promises. They came to South Texas, built their facility, then changed the purpose of the facility. Initially, they were supposed to launch their Falcon 9 rockets from Boca Chica. Musk then decided to take the Boca Chica facility in a different direction and begin looking towards building a launch vehicle that would take people to Mars.
This change resulted in a huge loss for Brownsville and the Lower Rio Grande Valley. The company promised high paying jobs and peripheral revenue from all the tourists and space enthusiasts who were going to flock to Brownsville to witness these launches.
South Padre Island also got left holding the short end of the stick when the amphitheater they built where people could go watch the rocket launches wouldn't be used as it was intended.
One can hope SpaceX has finally decided to make good on their promise to bring good, high paying jobs to Brownsville. That said, I am not holding my breath. These jobs could explode and vaporize just as easily as the MK1 nosecone did. I hope Musk doesn't wake up one morning and decide to change the direction of the company and the direction of the Boca Chica facility...again.
I get I am one of SpaceX's most vocal critics. I understand why people here want this company to succeed and why they want these launches to happen. I want them to happen just as much as they do. However, I do not have the same optimism they do. SpaceX has shown that they have done nothing but miss deadlines, destroy prototypes, and release potentially harmful gasses into the atmosphere.
I simply want them to do what they said they were going to do. Brownsville, the county, and the state gave them millions of dollars in tax breaks. I want them to start pulling their own weight and start contributing to Brownsville. I don't want to wait a century to see their progress — I don't have that kind of time. I want them to better the community now.
Brownsville took a big gamble on SpaceX, and they have yet to pay off. I can only hope their unfulfilled promises are behind them and they can begin moving forward, taking Brownsville and the rest of the Rio Grande Valley along for the ride.
I hope the days of the flying trashcan are over. I hope better things are just over the horizon for SpaceX and Brownsville.
But for now that's all it is...hope.
SpaceX SUX!
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