Another Successful Launch for SpaceX that Didn't Happen in Brownsville
By Diego Garcia III | Editor of The Brownsville Beacon
Yesterday, SpaceX successfully launched a Falcon 9 rocket, delivering 60 Starlink satellites into space. The satellites will be used to beam the internet to users who live in areas where internet connectivity is an issue. The Falcon 9's nine Merlin engines lit up the night sky as the rocket soared high up past the earth's atmosphere to deliver its payload.
This was also the first launch conducted under the auspices of the newly minted United States Space Force. The President of the United States established the new branch of the military with the signing of the 2020 defense bill.
The only problem is, the launch didn't happen from the SpaceX launch facility in Brownsville — the rocket launched from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
This record breaking launch should have happened in Brownsville. The facility within a stone's throw of Boca Chica beach was originally designed as a launch pad for the Falcon 9 rockets. When Brownsville, Cameron County, and the State of Texas entered into an agreement with SpaceX, the understanding was the company would get millions of dollars in tax abatements in exchange for a facility that would create dozens of high-paying jobs. The launches were also supposed to create additional peripheral income by attracting space aficionados to Brownsville to witness the illumination of the South Texas night sky these rockets would create. These people would thus spend money eating in local restaurants and staying in local hotels and spending their money.
An idea creating a viewing platform at the city's landfill was entertained (as if anybody would want to travel all the way to Brownsville to witness a rocket launch with the fine fragrance of garbage wafting in the air). South Padre Island spent public monies to build an amphitheater that would be used as a venue to witness the rockets launching as well.
To date, the rockets have not launched, and will never launch, from Boca Chica. In 2018, Elon Musk, the swindling snake-oil salesman who is at the helm of SpaceX decided to shift the priority of the Boca Chica facility. Instead of being a launch platform for the Falcon 9, they would instead work on prototype space vehicles that might be used to ferry people to Mars one day.
All SpaceX has managed to do is launch a couple of these tin cans into the air, blow one of them up, and deny people access to Boca Chica Beach with their "test schedules." State Highway 4 was closed off yesterday for one of these supposed tests. There was no press release saying anything had been successfully (or unsuccessfully) tested.
I forgot to mention SpaceX is also trying to buy out the residents of Boca Chica Village — something they said would not have to happen. Some residents of the sleepy community have refused to sell prompting speculation that Musk may lean on local government officials to enact eminent domain forcing the displacement of those who have lived at Boca Chica Village for years.
So raise your glasses, Brownsville. I offer a toast to Elon Musk and SpaceX. Thank you all for lying to us and breaking every promise you've made to the people. Thank you for creating another Titan Tire-esque boondoggle for our fair city.
Thanks for nothing.
Yesterday, SpaceX successfully launched a Falcon 9 rocket, delivering 60 Starlink satellites into space. The satellites will be used to beam the internet to users who live in areas where internet connectivity is an issue. The Falcon 9's nine Merlin engines lit up the night sky as the rocket soared high up past the earth's atmosphere to deliver its payload.
This was also the first launch conducted under the auspices of the newly minted United States Space Force. The President of the United States established the new branch of the military with the signing of the 2020 defense bill.
The only problem is, the launch didn't happen from the SpaceX launch facility in Brownsville — the rocket launched from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
This record breaking launch should have happened in Brownsville. The facility within a stone's throw of Boca Chica beach was originally designed as a launch pad for the Falcon 9 rockets. When Brownsville, Cameron County, and the State of Texas entered into an agreement with SpaceX, the understanding was the company would get millions of dollars in tax abatements in exchange for a facility that would create dozens of high-paying jobs. The launches were also supposed to create additional peripheral income by attracting space aficionados to Brownsville to witness the illumination of the South Texas night sky these rockets would create. These people would thus spend money eating in local restaurants and staying in local hotels and spending their money.
An idea creating a viewing platform at the city's landfill was entertained (as if anybody would want to travel all the way to Brownsville to witness a rocket launch with the fine fragrance of garbage wafting in the air). South Padre Island spent public monies to build an amphitheater that would be used as a venue to witness the rockets launching as well.
To date, the rockets have not launched, and will never launch, from Boca Chica. In 2018, Elon Musk, the swindling snake-oil salesman who is at the helm of SpaceX decided to shift the priority of the Boca Chica facility. Instead of being a launch platform for the Falcon 9, they would instead work on prototype space vehicles that might be used to ferry people to Mars one day.
All SpaceX has managed to do is launch a couple of these tin cans into the air, blow one of them up, and deny people access to Boca Chica Beach with their "test schedules." State Highway 4 was closed off yesterday for one of these supposed tests. There was no press release saying anything had been successfully (or unsuccessfully) tested.
I forgot to mention SpaceX is also trying to buy out the residents of Boca Chica Village — something they said would not have to happen. Some residents of the sleepy community have refused to sell prompting speculation that Musk may lean on local government officials to enact eminent domain forcing the displacement of those who have lived at Boca Chica Village for years.
So raise your glasses, Brownsville. I offer a toast to Elon Musk and SpaceX. Thank you all for lying to us and breaking every promise you've made to the people. Thank you for creating another Titan Tire-esque boondoggle for our fair city.
Thanks for nothing.
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