Author Topic: SpaceX McGregor Facilities  (Read 63292 times)

Offline ChileVerde

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SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« on: 07/19/2013 10:00 pm »

I'm not at all sure this deserves a new thread, but I didn't find one that quite addressed the question. If there is one, please let me know.

At any rate, the SpaceX site at McGregor has the well-known Falcon 9 test stand, a new one being built right next to it, and, some distance away, the Grasshopper pad.  But there are also another couple of nearby sites, one small, one somewhat substanial, that seem to be connected to the identified two by roads and chronology.  I've looked around but haven't IDed the latter two.  See attached picture, where the known sites are circled in yellow and the UNIDs in red.

Is it known what those red ones are?
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Offline Lars_J

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #1 on: 07/19/2013 10:08 pm »
I believe that the "Unidentified New Construction 1" is the SuperDraco test facilities.

Offline Kabloona

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #2 on: 07/19/2013 11:54 pm »
Uninformed guess that the building at the bottom of site #2 is a high bay, given the depth of its shadow as compared with other shorter buildings on the site. High aspect ratio, so maybe for processing/storing stages?

Offline corrodedNut

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #3 on: 07/20/2013 12:07 am »
Check out the first few pages of the original McGregor Testing Update thread:

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=28332.0

My OP is a little out of date now, but some of is still the same.
« Last Edit: 07/20/2013 12:11 am by corrodedNut »

Offline ChileVerde

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #4 on: 07/20/2013 12:40 am »
Uninformed guess that the building at the bottom of site #2 is a high bay, given the depth of its shadow as compared with other shorter buildings on the site. High aspect ratio, so maybe for processing/storing stages?

That would be my guess. Notice that it went up recently, within a year. The buildings just to the north of it are also quite recent. The northernmost seems to have been a pre-existing one. 
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Offline ChileVerde

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #5 on: 07/20/2013 01:00 am »
Check out the first few pages of the original McGregor Testing Update thread:

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=28332.0

My OP is a little out of date now, but some of is still the same.

Thanks, you did get there first.  Keeping track of the McGregor site facilities is probably worth doing.
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Offline Kabloona

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #6 on: 07/20/2013 03:22 am »
I believe that the "Unidentified New Construction 1" is the SuperDraco test facilities.

corrodedNut's first post in the other McGregor thread (see above) marks that as a Grasshopper pad, and that seems more likely to me as it it's near the other GH pad and has a similar shape.

He has the Super Draco test site marked at a different location.

Offline Jason1701

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #7 on: 07/20/2013 06:06 am »
I believe that the "Unidentified New Construction 1" is the SuperDraco test facilities.

corrodedNut's first post in the other McGregor thread (see above) marks that as a Grasshopper pad, and that seems more likely to me as it it's near the other GH pad and has a similar shape.

He has the Super Draco test site marked at a different location.

I think Lars was right. There is no need for two GH pads.
« Last Edit: 07/20/2013 06:07 am by Jason1701 »

Offline corrodedNut

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #8 on: 07/20/2013 12:51 pm »
I believe the video showing the first super-draco firing (horizontally) was conducted at the regular (vacuum) draco facility located between the blockhouse and the big test stand. That's why I labeled it such in my old post. This was a temporary measure, intended to speed development of super-draco. Since then, all testing has moved to the new, dedicated super-draco stand (vertical) north of the grasshopper pad (Unidentified New Construction 1).

The new, large hangar at the southern end of the campus (Unidentified New Construction 2) is almost exactly the same size as the hangar at SLC-4E Vandenberg, so I speculate that it is for FH integration, even though it is somewhat far from the new FH test stand.

SpaceX calls the cluster of test stands just northeast of the blockhouse the "small engines" area, it includes the MerlinVac stand, the 2nd stage stand, and a pair of Merlin test cells. The horizontal stands used for Merlin1A and Kestrel during F1 development have since been deleted.
« Last Edit: 07/20/2013 01:09 pm by corrodedNut »

Offline ChileVerde

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #9 on: 07/20/2013 01:41 pm »

The new, large hangar at the southern end of the campus (Unidentified New Construction 2) is almost exactly the same size as the hangar at SLC-4E Vandenberg, so I speculate that it is for FH integration, even though it is somewhat far from the new FH test stand.

Whatever the large hanger is for, it went up rapidly in 2012. The attached pictures show bare dirt on November 2, 2011 and an externally complete hangar on December 12, 2012.
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Offline corrodedNut

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #10 on: 07/20/2013 01:43 pm »

The new, large hangar at the southern end of the campus (Unidentified New Construction 2) is almost exactly the same size as the hangar at SLC-4E Vandenberg, so I speculate that it is for FH integration, even though it is somewhat far from the new FH test stand.

Whatever the large hanger is for, it went up rapidly in 2012. The attached pictures show bare dirt on November 2, 2011 and an externally complete hangar on December 12, 2012.

And a nice, wide road coming out of both ends, with large radius turns.

Offline woods170

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #11 on: 07/22/2013 10:16 am »

The new, large hangar at the southern end of the campus (Unidentified New Construction 2) is almost exactly the same size as the hangar at SLC-4E Vandenberg, so I speculate that it is for FH integration, even though it is somewhat far from the new FH test stand.

Whatever the large hanger is for, it went up rapidly in 2012. The attached pictures show bare dirt on November 2, 2011 and an externally complete hangar on December 12, 2012.

And a nice, wide road coming out of both ends, with large radius turns.

FH

Offline ChileVerde

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #12 on: 07/22/2013 12:58 pm »
FH

Yes, it's hard to see what else it could be for. 

Speaking of FH, is any recent photography of the new large test stand on the north side of the site available?  Its configuration might be revealing.
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Offline CardBoardBoxProcessor

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #13 on: 07/22/2013 08:30 pm »
also note the rather huge concrete slab just outside the new large hanger. It is almost as big as the hanger itself. think they are building a TE (minus the L) in there?

Offline meekGee

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #14 on: 07/22/2013 08:36 pm »
They also paved a larger car parking area.
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Offline ChileVerde

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #15 on: 07/22/2013 08:44 pm »
They also paved a larger car parking area.

Apropos of which, there are around a hundred cars parked around the area as of the Dec. 2012 GE image. Clearly there were a lot of SpaceXers toiling in the southern part of the site.
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Offline ChileVerde

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #16 on: 07/22/2013 08:52 pm »
I believe that the "Unidentified New Construction 1" is the SuperDraco test facilities.

Looking at this UNC1, I have a puzzlement. The facility itself looks like it could well be a two-cell engine test stand.  But what's that large leaf-shaped scar on the ground to the west of it?  I first thought it was just where grass and other plantae had been burned off during a test, but looking at the December 2012 GE image and the previous one leaves me scratching my head a bit.  The area doesn't seem to be quite aligned with the axis of the cells, the ground looks broken up, and there are several largish things in the area which might or might not have been there previously.

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Offline JasonAW3

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #17 on: 07/22/2013 09:07 pm »
Ok,

     I think I have figured out some of the mysteries behind the new construction and odd patches on the ground near the Grasshopper launch pad.

     Construction Area 1; A new launch pad.  Using both the shadow of the tower in the construction area and the shadow of a nearby water tower, I figured the tower in the construction area is much to compact and tall to be a test stand.  The water tower for noise suppression/fire suppression is a logical outgrowth there.  The road leading to the new construction is much more suited to being a tow road for a rocket than for test articles.

     Construction Area 2;  The highbay facility is very similar to the facility at teh Cape, where they build, assemble and maybe in the future, refurbish stages and teh spacecraft that are launched.

     The odd marks off to one side of the Grasshopper pad.  Simple scorch and blow down marks.  As it hovers, a great deal of air and gasses are blown directly down.  As such, the Grasshopper is going to make its' mark upon the land.

Just a thought...

Jason
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Offline edkyle99

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #18 on: 07/22/2013 09:17 pm »
Looking at this UNC1, I have a puzzlement. The facility itself looks like it could well be a two-cell engine test stand.  But what's that large leaf-shaped scar on the ground to the west of it?  I first thought it was just where grass and other plantae had been burned off during a test, but looking at the December 2012 GE image and the previous one leaves me scratching my head a bit.  The area doesn't seem to be quite aligned with the axis of the cells, the ground looks broken up, and there are several largish things in the area which might or might not have been there previously.
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Offline Lars_J

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #19 on: 07/22/2013 09:40 pm »
Construction Area 1; A new launch pad.  Using both the shadow of the tower in the construction area and the shadow of a nearby water tower, I figured the tower in the construction area is much to compact and tall to be a test stand.  The water tower for noise suppression/fire suppression is a logical outgrowth there.  The road leading to the new construction is much more suited to being a tow road for a rocket than for test articles.
Just a thought...

Jason

No. This does not look *anything* like a GH pad. If it does, then pretty much anything in their facility looks like a "launch pad". Let me illustrate:
« Last Edit: 07/22/2013 09:43 pm by Lars_J »

Offline grythumn

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #20 on: 07/22/2013 10:01 pm »
I believe that the "Unidentified New Construction 1" is the SuperDraco test facilities.

Looking at this UNC1, I have a puzzlement. The facility itself looks like it could well be a two-cell engine test stand.  But what's that large leaf-shaped scar on the ground to the west of it?  I first thought it was just where grass and other plantae had been burned off during a test, but looking at the December 2012 GE image and the previous one leaves me scratching my head a bit.  The area doesn't seem to be quite aligned with the axis of the cells, the ground looks broken up, and there are several largish things in the area which might or might not have been there previously.

My first guess would be drainage related... note the ponding that encroached upon the building in the first photo. Denotes a low lying area and relatively flat topography, and it's all more or less in line with the existing ditching.

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Offline corrodedNut

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #21 on: 07/23/2013 02:34 am »
I believe that the "Unidentified New Construction 1" is the SuperDraco test facilities.

Looking at this UNC1, I have a puzzlement. The facility itself looks like it could well be a two-cell engine test stand.  But what's that large leaf-shaped scar on the ground to the west of it?  I first thought it was just where grass and other plantae had been burned off during a test, but looking at the December 2012 GE image and the previous one leaves me scratching my head a bit.  The area doesn't seem to be quite aligned with the axis of the cells, the ground looks broken up, and there are several largish things in the area which might or might not have been there previously.



I recall reading that there are two cells at the super-draco stand.

Also, y'all ain't from the country...the round marks visible throughout the facility are probably just decomposed round-bales. There are seven fresh ones in the top photo.

Offline ChileVerde

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #22 on: 07/23/2013 03:07 am »

Also, y'all ain't from the country...the round marks visible throughout the facility are probably just decomposed round-bales. There are seven fresh ones in the top photo.

Good catch, cN. I've seen a lot of the things around here(*), but never thought of them in this context.

(*) There was a really scary incident a few years ago when several got away from their trailer and spilled across a major highway.
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Offline meekGee

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #23 on: 07/23/2013 03:46 am »
I believe that the "Unidentified New Construction 1" is the SuperDraco test facilities.

Looking at this UNC1, I have a puzzlement. The facility itself looks like it could well be a two-cell engine test stand.  But what's that large leaf-shaped scar on the ground to the west of it?  I first thought it was just where grass and other plantae had been burned off during a test, but looking at the December 2012 GE image and the previous one leaves me scratching my head a bit.  The area doesn't seem to be quite aligned with the axis of the cells, the ground looks broken up, and there are several largish things in the area which might or might not have been there previously.



Also, y'all ain't from the country...the round marks visible throughout the facility are probably just decomposed round-bales.

On their side?  and almost 15m in diameter?  (and what are those 7 things in the middle)

My guess are these are mounds of dirt.  Someone dug a trench, and this is where they emptied the truck.
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Offline corrodedNut

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #24 on: 07/23/2013 10:38 am »
On their side?  and almost 15m in diameter?  (and what are those 7 things in the middle)

That's what I mean by decomposed, the "7 things" are new ones.

Offline DavidH

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #25 on: 07/23/2013 01:15 pm »

I recall reading that there are two cells at the super-draco stand.

Also, y'all ain't from the country...the round marks visible throughout the facility are probably just decomposed round-bales. There are seven fresh ones in the top photo.

While I find it strange that one might feed a cow down range of a Hydrazine rocket test facility, I think corrodedNut has it right. There are many examples of very similar circles all around the area, but well outside SpaceX grounds, some with actual cattle actively eating the bail.
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Offline corrodedNut

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #26 on: 07/23/2013 02:43 pm »
While I find it strange that one might feed a cow down range of a Hydrazine rocket test facility,

Ha ha. Yes, the flesh-eating properties of the hypergolic residue help to break down the meat's connective tissues, making for a tender and juicy brisket...

Offline rpapo

Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #27 on: 07/28/2018 07:46 pm »
Not so much to revive a long dead thread, but because this is perhaps the best place to post this article link:

Waco Tribune Article
Following the space program since before Apollo 8.

Offline oiorionsbelt

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #28 on: 07/28/2018 08:03 pm »
Not so much to revive a long dead thread, but because this is perhaps the best place to post this article link:

Waco Tribune Article
The article is redacted/behind paywall but there's a comical computer reading of it on YouTube.


Offline rpapo

Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #29 on: 07/28/2018 08:07 pm »
The article is redacted/behind paywall but there's a comical computer reading of it on YouTube.
That's odd.  I'm not a subscriber, and yet didn't get any complaints to my reading it.  Perhaps because I use AdBlocker Plus.  On Chrome.
« Last Edit: 07/28/2018 08:18 pm by rpapo »
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Offline Kang54

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #30 on: 07/28/2018 08:23 pm »

That's odd.  I'm not a subscriber, and yet didn't get any complaints to my reading it.  Perhaps because I use AdBlocker Plus.  On Chrome.

I get an "Unavailable due to legal reasons" when I try to view the article, but I can see it with a proxy.
« Last Edit: 07/28/2018 08:23 pm by Kang54 »

Offline llanitedave

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #31 on: 07/28/2018 08:26 pm »
I just had to click on a survey question to read it on Firefox.
« Last Edit: 07/28/2018 08:26 pm by llanitedave »
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Offline DistantTemple

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #32 on: 07/28/2018 09:21 pm »

That's odd.  I'm not a subscriber, and yet didn't get any complaints to my reading it.  Perhaps because I use AdBlocker Plus.  On Chrome.

I get an "Unavailable due to legal reasons" when I try to view the article, but I can see it with a proxy.

I couldn't view it in England, and assumed it was because the Waco Tribune have blocked access from Europe because of GDPR, which they haven't figured out how to deal with yet!
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Offline docmordrid

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #33 on: 07/28/2018 09:23 pm »
From the link, about its importance to the city and quality of life. Other parts discuss housing prices, schools etc. Whole subs have gone in, largely  to house SpaceXers.

Quote
>
California-based SpaceX needs land for its activities here, so it pays McGregor almost $500,000 annually to lease more than 4,000 acres on the city’s outskirts. That accounts for a ninth of McGregor’s $4.5 million general fund budget, City Manager Kevin Evans said.

Asked about potential budget challenges without SpaceX, Evans replied, “We don’t even talk about that.”
>
“It’s definitely a culture shock, but in a good way,” Derrick said. “Most have come from the aerospace industry, Boeing, for example, and from bigger cities. They are excited about having a nice home at a reasonable price. If they are from LA, they are in heaven. Most are in their early 30s, and like other young people, they enjoy visiting new restaurants popping up around town.”
>
« Last Edit: 07/28/2018 09:27 pm by docmordrid »
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Offline AndyH

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Offline Nydoc

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #35 on: 08/24/2018 05:53 pm »
There has been some construction in the last few months.

Offline Arb

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #36 on: 08/24/2018 09:30 pm »
There has been some construction in the last few months.
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Offline meekGee

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #37 on: 09/15/2018 01:45 am »
Now that we know what the BFS engine cluster looks like - does the new test-stand size make sense?
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Offline oiorionsbelt

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #38 on: 09/15/2018 02:02 am »
Now that we know what the BFS engine cluster looks like - does the new test-stand size make sense?
As though this is the final iteration. :)

Offline meekGee

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #39 on: 09/15/2018 02:39 am »
Now that we know what the BFS engine cluster looks like - does the new test-stand size make sense?
As though this is the final iteration. :)
For this iteration (9m) of BFS, I'd guess yes... It feels right, like F9 1.1 did.

But yeah, there will be at least 4 variants, though hopefully with the same back end ...

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Offline oiorionsbelt

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #40 on: 09/15/2018 02:57 am »
Now that we know what the BFS engine cluster looks like - does the new test-stand size make sense?
As though this is the final iteration. :)
For this iteration (9m) of BFS, I'd guess yes... It feels right, like F9 1.1 did.

But yeah, there will be at least 4 variants, though hopefully with the same back end ...

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You're likely right as time is marching on if they want to hop in 12 months or so.

Online guckyfan

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #41 on: 09/15/2018 08:32 am »
But yeah, there will be at least 4 variants, though hopefully with the same back end ...

This may remain the backend for manned flights, including point to point. But I think for cargo and tanker flights they will want the full 150t or more in the future. So vac Raptor will be back.

Offline jpo234

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #42 on: 09/25/2018 06:25 pm »
Officials sign agreement to give SpaceX economic incentives for expanding to Coryell County

http://www.kxxv.com/story/39161990/officials-sign-agreement-to-give-spacex-economic-incentives-for-expanding-to-coryell-county
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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #43 on: 09/25/2018 07:10 pm »
Coryell Co. is SW of McGregor
DM

Offline gongora

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #44 on: 09/25/2018 07:20 pm »
McGregor spans two counties, and the land SpaceX is leasing from McGregor spans those two counties.  This agreement rewards them for building new stuff on the Coryell side of their property.

Offline rpapo

Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #45 on: 09/26/2018 12:11 pm »
There's nothing like competition to help things along.  A couple of miles from my house is the old Willow Run Airport, which straddles the border between Wayne County and Wastenaw County.  There is a long history of competition between the counties with regards to which side of the airport a new facility will be sited.
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Offline IntoTheVoid

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #46 on: 09/28/2018 10:40 pm »
Officials sign agreement to give SpaceX economic incentives for expanding to Coryell County

http://www.kxxv.com/story/39161990/officials-sign-agreement-to-give-spacex-economic-incentives-for-expanding-to-coryell-county
The agreement, for the record.

Offline Ronsmytheiii

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #47 on: 09/29/2018 11:40 am »
McGregor spans two counties, and the land SpaceX is leasing from McGregor spans those two counties.  This agreement rewards them for building new stuff on the Coryell side of their property.

So trusting in Google's precise geographic knowledge, looks from the below screen cap Coryell County is the West/South Western property defined by the red line. There should be plenty of land for them to expand, as I think they just recently acquired the western area.

Edit: Decided to just screencap the area of interest
« Last Edit: 09/29/2018 11:46 am by Ronsmytheiii »

Offline weepingdragon

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #48 on: 09/30/2018 05:31 am »
screen grab of google maps search of "Coryell County". Coryell west/left of red line, McGregor east/right of line.

if i zoomed in any closer in satellite view red line disappeared. i didn't think they owned those buildings at the west end, but checking Rauls' General SpaceX Map they might after all.




Offline Nydoc

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #49 on: 12/14/2018 08:01 am »
What is at this location? Is it a test stand?

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #50 on: 12/14/2018 10:51 am »
What is at this location? Is it a test stand?
It's right next to the Merlin and current S2 test stands. There are photos in L2. Not sure how much I can hint at, but does not appear to be a new test stand.

Offline codav

Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #51 on: 12/14/2018 01:13 pm »
What is at this location? Is it a test stand?

Here is an aerial photo, taken and published by SpaceX and annotated by Zucal. The area in question is labeled 13/14 in the image. It's the test site where they test all Merlin engines. Tim Dodd posted some photos in Falcon Heavy Static Fire article (3rd image).
« Last Edit: 12/14/2018 01:23 pm by codav »

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #52 on: 12/14/2018 02:27 pm »
What is at this location? Is it a test stand?

Here is an aerial photo, taken and published by SpaceX and annotated by Zucal. The area in question is labeled 13/14 in the image. It's the test site where they test all Merlin engines. Tim Dodd posted some photos in Falcon Heavy Static Fire article (3rd image).

The area Nydoc circled is just out of frame to the right on the annotated image.

Offline Nydoc

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #53 on: 12/15/2018 02:40 pm »
What is at this location? Is it a test stand?

Here is an aerial photo, taken and published by SpaceX and annotated by Zucal. The area in question is labeled 13/14 in the image. It's the test site where they test all Merlin engines. Tim Dodd posted some photos in Falcon Heavy Static Fire article (3rd image).

The area Nydoc circled is just out of frame to the right on the annotated image.
FYI, my image is from https://www.planet.com/explorer. It looks to me like the area south of the road got bulldozed sometime last August or September. I'm going to take edzieba's word that it's something other than a test stand.

Offline Nydoc

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #54 on: 02/02/2019 12:46 am »
There's a big pile of dirt now.

Offline Johnnyhinbos

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #55 on: 02/02/2019 01:43 am »
I think where the horizontal silver tank is in the last photo is at the new test stand.
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Offline tyrred

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #56 on: 02/02/2019 10:33 am »
And what is the new test stand for, again?  Forgive me for missing that amongst all the other developments.

Offline Johnnyhinbos

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #57 on: 02/04/2019 12:05 am »
Well let’s see if this has any meaning (while the halftime show happens).

https://twitter.com/erdayastronaut/status/1092220360727187457
« Last Edit: 02/04/2019 12:42 am by gongora »
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Offline gongora

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #58 on: 02/04/2019 12:54 am »
A note on Reddit pointed to this tweet that was probably the source of the preceding tweet:

https://twitter.com/WJordanIV/status/1092216177454206976

Offline Orbiter

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #59 on: 02/04/2019 01:18 am »
Looks like a test firing just took place (audio only). Doesn't sound like a Merlin engine to me?

https://twitter.com/WJordanIV/status/1092242263177084929
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Offline aero

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #60 on: 02/04/2019 05:51 am »
They fired it up. Four seconds worth.

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1092270756715737088
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Offline DigitalMan

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #61 on: 02/07/2019 03:54 pm »
It seems to me it's useful to see that the engines can run with normal propellants.  I recall seeing some speculation that they might only be able to run with deep cryo propellants.

This provides useful flexibility.

Offline rpapo

Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #62 on: 02/07/2019 04:59 pm »
It seems to me it's useful to see that the engines can run with normal propellants.  I recall seeing some speculation that they might only be able to run with deep cryo propellants.

This provides useful flexibility.
Well, consider this: if they are going to be generating fuel ISRU on Mars, will they have the extra energy required to keep that fuel extra cold all the time?  From my point of view, they will be doing well to keep the fuel liquefied for the whole time they are generating it (months?).
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Offline Lars-J

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #63 on: 02/07/2019 05:39 pm »
It seems to me it's useful to see that the engines can run with normal propellants.  I recall seeing some speculation that they might only be able to run with deep cryo propellants.

This provides useful flexibility.

That assumption (that engine capable of deep cryo propellants could only run on deep cryo) was always faulty. Did they think that the F9 propellant was still deep cryo at landing - or in the upper stage after a long coast? The M1D can run on both, and as Elon verified, so can Raptor.

Offline Silmfeanor

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #64 on: 02/11/2019 06:07 am »
All these tweets have been posted in the relevant threads on raptor; no need to repost them here, since this is the facility thread.

Offline Lar

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #65 on: 02/11/2019 05:11 pm »
Yes, please self moderate them by deleting them
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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #66 on: 02/25/2019 04:45 pm »
[Waco Tribune-Herald] SpaceX nighttime test fees pay for park upgrades in McGregor
Quote
...when Falcon rockets are put through their paces between 9 and 11 p.m., the city receives payments from the California-based rocket company now aiming for Mars.

This “hush” money for five years has profited a special fund to support youth baseball in McGregor, so designated by the McGregor City Council. About $440,000 later, the city christened Launch Pad Park, whose name reflects a tip of the cap to SpaceX...
...
“I would say they have to test during those times probably less than once a month on average,” Evans said. “On a calendar year basis, the first time is $10,000, the second is $15,000, and all additional that year are $25,000.”
« Last Edit: 02/25/2019 04:47 pm by gongora »

Offline mlindner

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #67 on: 03/09/2019 01:06 am »
[Waco Tribune-Herald] SpaceX nighttime test fees pay for park upgrades in McGregor
Quote
...when Falcon rockets are put through their paces between 9 and 11 p.m., the city receives payments from the California-based rocket company now aiming for Mars.

This “hush” money for five years has profited a special fund to support youth baseball in McGregor, so designated by the McGregor City Council. About $440,000 later, the city christened Launch Pad Park, whose name reflects a tip of the cap to SpaceX...
...
“I would say they have to test during those times probably less than once a month on average,” Evans said. “On a calendar year basis, the first time is $10,000, the second is $15,000, and all additional that year are $25,000.”

That is awesome. If I was a kid hearing rockets go off all the time and then had this playset to go to, I would be living the dream.
« Last Edit: 03/09/2019 01:07 am by mlindner »
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Offline FlattestEarth

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #68 on: 04/04/2019 09:47 am »
What's happening in the cell next to the active raptor test cell?  Is that assembly in the grass set to be installed there? Or was it removed?

Test Stand photo in the article:
https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2019/04/starhopper-first-flight-starship-superheavy-updates/
« Last Edit: 04/04/2019 09:57 am by Chris Bergin »

Offline testguy

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #69 on: 04/04/2019 05:38 pm »
What's happening in the cell next to the active raptor test cell?  Is that assembly in the grass set to be installed there? Or was it removed?

Test Stand photo in the article:
https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2019/04/starhopper-first-flight-starship-superheavy-updates/

May I suggest L2.

Offline Roy_H

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #70 on: 04/05/2019 01:50 am »
What's happening in the cell next to the active raptor test cell?  Is that assembly in the grass set to be installed there? Or was it removed?

Test Stand photo in the article:
https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2019/04/starhopper-first-flight-starship-superheavy-updates/

SpaceX spent a lot of money on outfitting that cell and after just a few months, torn it all out. Looks like that main platform is all that is left. It was full of electrical boxes with vast numbers of tubing and conduit runs. I wonder what its function was. Seems like a huge waste of resources.
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Offline FlattestEarth

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #71 on: 04/05/2019 04:52 am »
What's happening in the cell next to the active raptor test cell?  Is that assembly in the grass set to be installed there? Or was it removed?

Test Stand photo in the article:
https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2019/04/starhopper-first-flight-starship-superheavy-updates/

SpaceX spent a lot of money on outfitting that cell and after just a few months, torn it all out. Looks like that main platform is all that is left. It was full of electrical boxes with vast numbers of tubing and conduit runs. I wonder what its function was. Seems like a huge waste of resources.

Hmm yes I see it was installed here: https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2019/01/spacex-starship-tests-boca-chica/

Offline Bogeyman

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #72 on: 05/10/2020 09:06 am »
 Just stumbled over this while surfing with Google Earth over McGegor.
What are these shacks?

Online Zardar

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #73 on: 05/10/2020 11:37 am »
Just stumbled over this while surfing with Google Earth over McGegor.
What are these shacks?

The remains of the old Bluebonnet Ordnance Plant   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluebonnet_Ordnance_Plant

Offline AnalogMan

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #74 on: 05/10/2020 01:07 pm »
Just stumbled over this while surfing with Google Earth over McGegor.
What are these shacks?

The array of small buildings in your image was used for storage of high explosive bombs made in the main Bluebonnet plant.  They are known as igloos and each one is surrounded by a large earth berm.  This was to reduce the risk of a chain reaction affecting the rest of the site in the event of a serious mishap causing one of the buildings to explode.  A form of social distancing for explosives.
« Last Edit: 05/10/2020 02:30 pm by AnalogMan »

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #75 on: 06/16/2020 11:56 am »
Quote
SpaceX pursues local funding for $10 million upgrade to McGregor plant
By MIKE COPELAND [email protected]  10 hrs ago

Fresh from making history by sending a manned craft to the International Space Station, SpaceX is asking Waco and McLennan County for money to grow.

The rocket company launched by billionaire Elon Musk will spend $10 million on infrastructure improvements at its rocket-testing facility in McGregor. The upgrades will include “noise suppressors,” which should prove welcome to those within earshot of SpaceX’s rumbling, window-rattling rehearsals.

Waco City Council and McLennan County Commissioners Court will vote Tuesday on sending SpaceX $2 million from the Waco-McLennan County Economic Development Corp. fund, with each entity allocating $1 million.

https://www.wacotrib.com/townnews/work/spacex-pursues-funding-for-10-million-upgrade-in-mcgregor/article_cc0c9e07-55f4-50ad-b49e-6cb67ac41b31.html

https://twitter.com/thesheetztweetz/status/1272860128879017987

Quote
SpaceX currently leases 4,280 acres and employs about 500 people in McGregor, city manager Kevin Evans told @wacotrib. The company has previously received $3 million from the city-county fund.
« Last Edit: 06/16/2020 11:57 am by FutureSpaceTourist »

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #76 on: 07/10/2021 05:16 pm »
https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1413909599711907845

Quote
We are breaking ground soon on a second Raptor factory at SpaceX Texas test site. This will focus on volume production of Raptor 2, while California factory will make Raptor Vacuum & new, experimental designs.

Edit to add:

twitter.com/erdayastronaut/status/1413909805639602183?s=21

Quote
At Starbase or McGregor?

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1413910556965326850

Quote
McGregor

Oh. My.

twitter.com/gokuaurelius/status/1413910573130018820

Quote
What volume production are you aiming for? Quantity of raptors per year?

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1413911893316603908

Quote
Roughly 800 to 1000 per year. That’s about what’s needed over ten years to create the fleet to build a self-sustaining city on Mars. City itself probably takes roughly 20 years, so hopefully it is built by ~2050.
« Last Edit: 07/10/2021 05:26 pm by FutureSpaceTourist »

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #77 on: 07/10/2021 07:01 pm »
twitter.com/watcherstank/status/1413916280638394368

Quote
Is the plan still to have an engine factory at Starbase, or has that changed now that there will be one in McGregor?

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1413933624408252416

Quote
The challenges of operating at Starbase left us with no choice but to put engine production in McGregor

twitter.com/sciguyspace/status/1413911808751120387

Quote
So Texas is going to have an orbital launch site *and* a major rocket engine factory in addition to the Starship build site. This was hard to imagine even a few years ago.

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1413935041332191233

Quote
Yes. It will be the highest output & most advanced rocket engine factory in the world.

Offline Hamish.Student

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #78 on: 07/11/2021 03:54 am »
Quote
The challenges of operating at Starbase left us with no choice but to put engine production in McGregor
 
 
I wonder what challenges he is referring too.

Offline cpushack

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #79 on: 07/11/2021 07:14 am »
Quote
The challenges of operating at Starbase left us with no choice but to put engine production in McGregor
 
 
I wonder what challenges he is referring too.

Probably infrastructure related.  Electricity and Water are already rather scarce there, though SpaceX is working on building its own power plant. 

McGregor is much more developed so adding stuff there requires a lot less work.

Offline DistantTemple

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #80 on: 07/11/2021 11:46 am »
I suspect they have already drained the pool of skilled technical workforce at Brownsville. It won't be just stainless steel welders at Starbase. I saw (I think in minutes of the Brownsville Harbour) mention of setting up a trade school for stainless steel welding! OK different skillset to manufacture Raptors... still, its skilled technicians rather than rocket engine engineers that SX will have to recruit.
Anyway if every Raptor will be tested on the stand... that's McGregor's bread-and-butter, whereas it is specifically restricted at BC/Starbase.
We can always grow new new dendrites. Reach out and make connections and your world will burst with new insights. Then repose in consciousness.

Offline danneely

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #81 on: 07/11/2021 07:16 pm »
I suspect they have already drained the pool of skilled technical workforce at Brownsville. It won't be just stainless steel welders at Starbase. I saw (I think in minutes of the Brownsville Harbour) mention of setting up a trade school for stainless steel welding! OK different skillset to manufacture Raptors... still, its skilled technicians rather than rocket engine engineers that SX will have to recruit.
Anyway if every Raptor will be tested on the stand... that's McGregor's bread-and-butter, whereas it is specifically restricted at BC/Starbase.

The flip side is that Brownsville has a larger population to draw on. 

The 2019 estimated population for Cameron county was 423k. 

McGreggor sits on the border of McLennan and Coryell Counties. they have a combined ~330k 2019 estimated population.  That's spread out over a larger area; but with BC being at the extreme edge of Cameron county probably doesn't result in that having a significant impact in the number of people within a reasonablish commuting distance. 

Looking at the closest major city to each location shows something similar, Brownsville has about 183k vs Waco's 139k.

That leaves open the questions of how big a workforce will be needed at each location; and if one area is more attractive to migrants than the other.  The latter does suggest a bit of an advantage for the more western location.  Cameron county gained an estimated 17k people since 2010, McLennan county 21k, while Coryell only gained a few hundred people.  That could just be down to Waco being the only city of size in the area, while Brownsville has the much larger city of McAllen Tx an hour away as a competing draw.

Offline alugobi

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #82 on: 07/11/2021 07:50 pm »
Once the construction of the facility is finished, they'll need fewer peeps to build engines than they will ships at Boca Chica.

Offline su27k

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #83 on: 07/13/2021 03:55 pm »
Area leaders: SpaceX rockets could be built in McGregor by year's end

Quote
When the colorful, controversial CEO of SpaceX began tweeting over the weekend that he would place a rocket-building plant next to his rocket-testing plant in McGregor, some locals thought it was simply Elon Musk being Elon Musk.

McGregor and McLennan County officials said they began to hear more rumblings than usual from SpaceX about six months ago.

Musk reportedly had more big plans for McGregor as he laid the groundwork for spaceflights to Mars. The buzz went silent until Saturday, when Musk launched his Twitter barrage.

Online mpusch

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #84 on: 07/13/2021 03:56 pm »
Area leaders: SpaceX rockets could be built in McGregor by year's end

Quote
When the colorful, controversial CEO of SpaceX began tweeting over the weekend that he would place a rocket-building plant next to his rocket-testing plant in McGregor, some locals thought it was simply Elon Musk being Elon Musk.

McGregor and McLennan County officials said they began to hear more rumblings than usual from SpaceX about six months ago.

Musk reportedly had more big plans for McGregor as he laid the groundwork for spaceflights to Mars. The buzz went silent until Saturday, when Musk launched his Twitter barrage.

Despite the title saying "rocket", the actual article is just talking about the new engine plant.

Online FutureSpaceTourist

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #85 on: 08/08/2021 07:15 am »
https://twitter.com/bluemoondance74/status/1424240910204801028

Quote
The stage is set for construction of the Raptor2 engine factory in McGregor, TX

Offline StraumliBlight

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #86 on: 09/08/2021 10:14 pm »
$150 million expansion of SpaceX's McGregor facility

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Phase I will require the company to invest in $100 million in real and personal property improvements by June 30, 2024, along with a minimum of 250 new full-time jobs by June 30, 2025.

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Phase II will require the company to invest another $50 million in real and personal property improvements by June 30, 2025, along with a minimum of 150 new full-time jobs and Phase I facility investment by June 30, 2026.

Online abaddon

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #87 on: 09/08/2021 11:49 pm »
SpaceX gets $4 million and $2 million from Waco for Phase I and Phase II respectively.  Relatively small compared to the scope of the project, but money is money...

Online FutureSpaceTourist

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Re: SpaceX McGregor Facilities
« Reply #88 on: 11/14/2022 06:01 am »
https://twitter.com/adamcuker/status/1592013906054205440

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Flying over SpaceX in McGregor, TX with pilot Gary Blair this evening. Raptor site had both a sea-level and vacuum Raptor on the test stand.

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