Not so long ago, residents of the frontier town of Brownsville, Texas, and the neighboring coastal town of Boca Chica could not have imagined that rockets designed for space travel would become synonymous with their communities. But ever since Elon Musk brought SpaceX to this corner of South Texas, the two have become intertwined.
Depictions of missiles and Mr. Musk’s famous face are immortalized on murals all over Brownsville. Space travel talks reached a fever pitch as SpaceX’s Starship rocket geared up for its first orbital flight.
Boca Chica, which roughly translates to “little mouth” in Spanish, is a small village with a single road that ends at the shoreline and a handful of residents, most of them retirees from the Midwest and other places up north who live in the village during the winter months.
Elected officials in the area have supported SpaceX since Musk made his plans clear in 2014. They say communities around Brownsville have benefited from the arrival of the high-tech giant. The city of about 185,000 inhabitants is a predominantly Hispanic area where, according to the US census, about 26 percent of the population lives in poverty.
Eddie Treviño, the district judge for Cameron County, which includes Boca Chica and Brownsville, credits SpaceX with directly creating at least 1,900 jobs, and thousands more if you count the contractors and subcontractors needed to support an ever-expanding launch site and related businesses.
“There’s no doubt it’s been good for the economy,” Mr Treviño said. “Brownsville and the county as a whole have waited a generation for this kind of economic impact.”
But not everyone has extended the welcome mat to Mr. Musk and his engineers.
Some residents argue that the presence of SpaceX is driving up house prices in an area where few can afford to buy a home as it is. In addition, they say, the missile tests often scattered fiery debris along neighborhoods, sand dunes and tidal flats. The tests often lead to road closures blocking residents’ access to public beaches, local and environmental activists say.
Rebekah Hinojosa, 32, a Brownsville resident who has expressed her discontent at public gatherings, said she had heard of people in her community living in fear.
“I’m tired, we’re tired of living with a constant threat of flammable rocket explosions,” Ms Hinojosa said. “The politicians here cannot ignore the community. They should listen to the concerns of their constituents, not a private space company or a billionaire.”
Others are advocating on behalf of the animals that live in the region’s lush wetlands, nature reserves and sandy beaches. Many shorebirds have stopped nesting or been chased away by the piercing sound of rockets hurtling over their habitat. Heavy machinery often damages the road to the beach, according to activists from the area.
SpaceX representatives did not respond to a request for comment.
Treviño, the district judge, said area officials wanted to work with SpaceX to minimize damage. “We have the same concerns and we all want to make sure the environment is not compromised,” he said.
Mr. Musk’s company has also purchased the homes of Boca Chica residents. The handful that have remained face constant disruptions in their daily lives. SpaceX personnel tend to warn those living a stone’s throw away before a rocket is launched, residents have told The Times. But other times they’re startled by loud sirens, a warning that residents have a few minutes to put on heavy headphones to block out the deafening noise of some tests, and to step away from their windows for fear they might break .
Christian Escobedo, 42, who lives near Boca Chica, said while he appreciated the economic boost for his community, he was concerned about the constant activity.
“Before they came here it was a lot quieter; not much was built,” he said. “We have to take the good with the bad.”
Others, like Fred Tamez, 55, are excited to be part of a launch that is literally out of this world.
“Everyone is talking about being a part of this historic event,” he said.
When asked if he was concerned that this latest test might result in another explosion and the ensuing fiery debris familiar to many here, he replied with a nervous laugh.
“This one has a lot of engines,” he said. “So I hope not.”
Kirsten Noyes contributed research.