SpaceX wants to buy out residents of a community near its planned rocket launch site in Texas, according to a report from Business Insider.
Boca Chica Village is a a small community of mostly elderly in South Texas. SpaceX has reportedly offered a non-negotiable deal to buy homeowners out of their properties at three times the appraised value. A letter sent to residents and obtained by Business Insider said residents have until September 26 to accept the offer. Business Insider reports that several residents plan to reject the offer.
Boca Chica Village is about 1.5 miles from SpaceX’s launchpad on Boca Chica Beach, where the company is conducting tests for its planned mission to Mars.
Testing has included static engine firing and 500-foot launches and hovers over the site. SpaceX said in the letter to residents that continued testing will likely create “increased disruption” to Boca Chica residents.
“When SpaceX first identified Cameron County as a potential spaceport location, we did not anticipate that local residents would experience significant disruption from our presence,” according to the letter obtained by Business Insider.