With three potential bidders for his private commercial satellite launch site clamoring to shower him with millions in "incentives," billionaire Elon Musk is sitting in the catbird seat.
There's Space Florida with more than $20 million and a launch site next to Cape Canaveral making its offering. Then there's the State of Georgia and Puerto Rico offering their tribute.
Musk can now lay back and see which one will up the ante to entice him to go there.
The announcement that the Federal Aviation Administration’s Record of Decision will issue licenses and permits to consider allowing Space Exploration Technologies Corp. to build a rocket launch site in Cameron County, leaves it up to Musk to decide if he wants to build the launch pad here.
SpaceX can apply for those licenses and the FAA has 180 days to decide to approve or deny the proposal.
But SpaceX is playing coy with the suitors,much as Penelope did in the Odyssey.
“Brownsville remains a finalist for SpaceX’s development of a commercial orbital launch complex, and SpaceX appreciates the FAA’s commitment and work in developing today’s record of decision,” said SpaceX spokeswoman Hannah Post. “There remain several criteria that will need to be met before SpaceX makes a decision. We are hopeful that these will be complete in the near future.”Fast forward to sometime in the future.
A rocket launch goes bad and range directors decide to abort it. Fragments of the rocket crash into the LNG plant at the Port of Brownsville (we said future, remember?) and start a chain-reaction explosion that rocks the Port, spills over onto the chemical and oil storage tanks and gasoline-laden barges that have to dock pending the launch.
Traffic on the Intercoastal Waterway has to stop. No ships can sail or shrimp boats can go up and down the channel.
The explosion of oil, gasoline and chemicals stored at the port spill into the channel and are carried to the ecosensitive Laguna Madre through the Bahia and into the Gulf of Mexico. South Padre Island resembles post-Ixtoc. Toxic chemicals litter the pristine wildlife habitat of Boca Chica Beach and its surrounding wetlands that will take decades to clean.
Far-fetched, you say?
How many disasters occurred during NASA launches? Remember?
A pair of nitrogen tanks at SpaceX rocket test facility in McGregor, Texas, exploded late Nov. 26, local authorities reported then. It didn;t even involve the Falcon 9 rocketsw that will be used here if the company deigns to take over Boca Chica.
The SpaceX Falcon 9 v1.1 rocket that was used to launch Thailand’s Thaicom 6 satellite had undergone testing at McGregor but was not at the site when the explosion occurred. The rocket had already been shipped to Cape Canaveral, Fla., in preparation for a scheduled Dec. 20 launch.
News reports at the time said that the explosion startled some nearby residents, who registered their surprise in Facebook posts of their own, and in comments below the sheriff’s post.
“I think I just felt my first earthquake!” Duane Price-Hannah wrote before reading the sheriff’s report. “You never know because we live close to SpaceX and also feel things when Fort Hood is playing in the field. This one scared me and was different!”
“I honestly thought it was Ft. Hood practicing a big bomb,” said a post by Kisha Hornung.
News reports at the time said that the explosion startled some nearby residents, who registered their surprise in Facebook posts of their own, and in comments below the sheriff’s post.
“I think I just felt my first earthquake!” Duane Price-Hannah wrote before reading the sheriff’s report. “You never know because we live close to SpaceX and also feel things when Fort Hood is playing in the field. This one scared me and was different!”
“I honestly thought it was Ft. Hood practicing a big bomb,” said a post by Kisha Hornung.
Let the fireworks begin!
12 comments:
Not that I am against research but a bad geo location was designated for this project. It is too close to populated areas. A canister could fall on any town or schools. The consequences would be catastrophic. Take it from there.
The real problem here is the proximity to a troubled Mexico and I think border turmoil and insecurity will cause Musk to look to a site which can be secured against foreign attacks. Unfortunate for Brownsville, but why risk billions of dollars in future contracts for launches. The proximity to a potentially unfriendly border is problematic.
If Mexico allows thousands of foreigners to cross their borders to illegally enter the US, then Mexico might allow dangerous people to enter Mexico with a desire to cause turmoil at that launch site.
He is just a pimp looking for a cheap whore?
This is very bad for the people in this are as far as their lung health is concerned. This is NOT a good idea. City, County and State Leaders not thinking very smart right now. Hope SpaceX does not set up shop here!
Hey why do they not go to the desert!
If it is safe to launch, why not along the King Ranch next to the coast?? There is no human population. Is it because the cattle are worth more than human life?? Tiene que ver algo que estos hueros de la Quinena no les gusto...hay no mas puros gas and oil fields.
Except that it will likely be a Cuban school. Has Ted Cruz heard?
Local officials in Brownsville will not allow an outsider to control anything unless it puts money in their pockets and supports their policies. City officials hire people they can control to make policies they favor....and Musk will not be one of their pawns. Thus, this project is over and will not come to Boca Chica. The local community can not afford to contribute anything (except Tony Martinez's old real estate downtown) to entice this project. The enviornmentalists seem to dislike this project....but at the same time don't oppose allowing the infestation of illegals which damages the native environment to a greater degree. We notice that our elected officials don't seem to ever take a position on any issue until that issue becomes a disaster....then they follow their Party....in this case the Dumbokratic Party....after all illegal immigration brings more Dumbokratic supporters to get their "free shit" and SpaceX is more likely to bring businessmen and more conservativism to the area.
Idiot! Where do you think they are setting up! There is nothing but desert on the way to Boca Chica!
Teodoro de la Cruz for President.
Idiots of Brownsville!!! Wake up! The economic impact far out weighs the ecological impact! You ask need to get your heads out of your asses, and your asses out if the 1920's! enough with downtown beautification! What has it brought you! That's the older generation wanting to hold onto their fond memories and nostalgia! Downtown is a shit hole full of shitty second hand stores! You all talk about protecting the environment, when you all are to fucken lazy to get off your greasy fat, taco eating asses, to go enjoy the outdoors! No wonder you all are against the jobs it would bring, that's because you all are to lazy to work! No wonder our parents and grandparents are always bitching when we leave this shit hole to go to college! It's because they know we will be exposed to bigger and better things, which is why we don't want to return after we graduate! The few that do and are inspired to make a change in this community, quickly learn that this shit hole is helpless! Just drive down boca chica blvd, you see the same shitty, falling apart buildings that you have for the last twenty years! Same litter filled ditches, same empty warehouses! Yet the moment someone wants to tear it down, you have all the same losers crying foul, that it is a historical landmark! Enough already! Get off your lazy asses and work, and move this city foward! Nobody cares about you childhood in the roarin 20's!
They should go to the Desert; the Sahara Desert.
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