SpaceX is in the process of turning its Starbase in Boca Chica into its own official Texas city. This remarkable change of heart comes just as a special election is expected to take place, determining the future of SpaceX’s presence in the area. Texan authorities don’t have their head in the sand either. They are monitoring the foreign company’s actions very closely. Specifically, they worry about unmarked road and beach closures on mission days. In return, SpaceX has gained an army of state senators who have tossed bills in the hopper to support their operations.
Election and Legislative Proposals
A special election set for May 2024 will decide if SpaceX can make Space City U.S.A. into an official city. Local governments are scrutinizing how the company operates. What they care most about is the disorder that unofficial road and beach closings bring. In order to help SpaceX succeed, a number of these bills have been introduced by senators from the state.
With the best interests of his state in mind, State Senator Hinojosa introduced his SB 2230. This new legislation would make it a Class B misdemeanor to disobey SpaceX closure orders on Texas’ beaches. This legislation would give SpaceX broader authority to control public access around their increasingly frequent launch operations.
Past Legal Challenges
The path to make Starbase has been a rocky one. In 2021, Elon Musk and SpaceX got sued by a former employee. The case focused on a negligence claim related to an awful accident that occurred in Boca Chica in 2020. The family of the victim in this incident is seeking $20 million in damages. They argue that they failed to observe the SpaceX truck on a two-lane highway because there were insufficient safety delineators.
This lawsuit underscores the increasingly fraught relationship between SpaceX and community members. Yet the company’s presence has wreaked havoc on the once small community of Boca Chica. With these challenges still lingering, SpaceX plans to keep growing its operations at Starbase.
Implications for Boca Chica
For the last few years, SpaceX has turned Boca Chica into the center of its space operations. The creation of Starbase, combined with the Texas Legislature’s introduction of starry-eyedly supportive legislation, makes clear that the company is serious about its vision. These developments have raised concerns among the local population about accessibility and safety during SpaceX's mission days.
The bills as introduced seem designed to make things easy for SpaceX. At the same time, they point to the continued tightrope between innovation and effect on communities. As with any good election, this one will have high stakes — for SpaceX and for the people who live in Boca Chica.
