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| Science & Technology |
| SpaceX makes 'final' attempt to buy out remaining residents of small Texas village to build private resort for Elon Musk's Starship space program - but the last 10 inhabitants are refusing to be 'bullied out of their homes' |
| 2020-10-09 |
| [MAIL] Elon Musk’s SpaceX is said to be making its final attempt to buy out the remaining residents of Boca Chica Village to build a private resort to launch rockets into orbit – but the last 10 inhabitants of the Texas hamlet are refusing to budge. Negotiations are said to have reached a crucial moment, with the company hinting that it may ‘pursue alternative approaches’ to advance with its ambitious plans for the area, according to Business Insider. Musk began buying up homes and land in the area in 2015 to expand his SpaceX empire and build a test site for his Starship-Super Heavy program, a 394-foot-tall reusable rocket system. When complete, the Starship could slash the cost of reaching space a hundredfold, while also enabling frequent and relatively affordable access to orbit, the moon, and Mars, as well as hypersonic travel around Earth. But that dream, in addition to building a ‘resort’ for employees and important guests around the launch site, recently hit a major stumbling block. The project’s future may now rest solely on persuading all who still live in the tiny town - most of whom are elderly or retired - to leave. And for them, Musk’s mission to Mars comes at a heavy cost for their once tranquil life on Earth. |
| Posted by:Skidmark |
| #14 Made me think of the French spaceport in Guiana. Not on an island, but quite a shipping route. |
| Posted by: swksvolFF 2020-10-09 21:48 |
| #13 Launch locations are chosen for a combination of proximity to the equator, lack of populations downrange in case of a launch accident, and access to transportation networks to bring all the necessary stuff to the launch platform at low cost. An island or even artificial island is perfect for all except the last. |
| Posted by: rjschwarz 2020-10-09 17:31 |
| #12 hold out for the BIG money |
| Posted by: 746 2020-10-09 14:36 |
| #11 Lookout, Mrs Kennedy |
| Posted by: Bugs Threrese3270 2020-10-09 12:10 |
| #10 Offer them a million each and they'll move, but tell them it's a package deal |
| Posted by: Frank G 2020-10-09 11:48 |
| #9 Let's see The local pols will put $$ ahead of a handful of votes every time... |
| Posted by: M. Murcek 2020-10-09 11:02 |
| #8 Let's see if they finagle some eminent domain b.s. |
| Posted by: Clem 2020-10-09 10:39 |
| #7 I don't think they should ever be required to move. But that doesn't mean I don't sympathize with SpaceX or think the residents are being stupid for refusing to take the money and move. Especially when all of your neighbors and relatives have moved away already and now you have to drive even further for every good and service. |
| Posted by: Vernal Hatrick 2020-10-09 10:27 |
| #6 Take the money. |
| Posted by: Iblis 2020-10-09 10:20 |
| #5 I've reached the point where I once wanted to go to Mars to get away from people like Musk. Paraphrasing the Michael Bolton character from Office Space - 'Why should I be the guy who leaves? He's the one that sucks!' |
| Posted by: Raj 2020-10-09 10:00 |
| #4 I've reached the point where I once wanted to go to Mars to get away from people like Musk. Going to Mars but being stuck as part of Musk's racket is kinda pointless. |
| Posted by: Thing From Snowy Mountain 2020-10-09 09:49 |
| #3 Can't he buy an island somewhere in the Pacific? Why Tejas? |
| Posted by: Hupons Flusosing1185 2020-10-09 09:43 |
| #2 And in a couple weeks we may have a new SCOTUS majority that is the polar opposite of the one that coughed up Kelo... |
| Posted by: M. Murcek 2020-10-09 07:22 |
| #1 Might be a good idea to keep a close eye on this fellow Musk and your wallet. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2020-10-09 07:07 |