MCLENNAN COUNTY — Say the name SpaceX in Central Texas and most people think of the giant, rocket engine testing facility in McLennan County.
At any one time, close to 1,000 people or more are employed there. They pump a lot of money into the local economy.
For months last winter and spring, though, the facility also pumped out massive noise and disturbances from the engine testing, frustrating thousands in McLennan County.
Then, a curious thing happened this summer: hardly any noise or vibrations.
“Through the summer it’s dissipated even more to the point now where I hear it rarely, and I’ve gotten no calls about it since June,” said Mayor Jim Hering of McGregor.
The mayor said the situation last fall, and through the first half of 2022, was reaching a boiling point.
“The noise was bad, the shaking was bad," said Hering. "SpaceX knew it. It’s not a secret to anybody. It’s something we openly talked about."
Two big changes helped quiet things down, starting in June.
For one, Hering said SpaceX changed their actual testing stands. Also, the summer months typically help with noise and vibrations because of the atmosphere, he said.
The company has also improved when it's testing, conducting the vast majority now before 9 p.m. when fines kick in from the city. That was a big source of irritation for locals, as well.
“That fine is several thousand dollars. It accumulates over the year, so if they do it again it’s even more,” said Hering.
25 News reached out to SpaceX a few times in the past week for comment, but never got a response.
