Area Residents Invited to Visit Rocket Development Facility

SpaceX Hosting Community Picnic Saturday in McGregor

McGregor, TX – Area residents are invited to a community picnic this Saturday, November 19th, at SpaceX’s rocket development facility in McGregor, Texas.

“We want everyone to come out and enjoy the festivities. It’s our way of showing the community just how much we appreciate their support,” said Lauren Dreyer, Director of Business Affairs at SpaceX.

The event will run from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM overlooking the rocket facilities including the 235 foot tripod where SpaceX tests its rocket engines. Up and coming country rock band The Black Matches will provide entertainment. For children, there will be inflatable slides, an obstacle course, and a rocket bounce house.

SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk is flying in from California to attend the event and Texas Senator John Cornyn is expected to stop by.

Guests will even have the opportunity to view a test of an actual rocket engine. SpaceX has conducted roughly one test a day at the 630 acre facility since beginning operations there in 2003.

“We’ll have some of the best bar-b-que in Central Texas,” added Dreyer. “It’s a celebration of the special relationship between SpaceX and Central Texas and we want everyone to come be a part of it.”

SpaceX’s rocket facility is located 4 miles west of McGregor High School on Bluebonnet Parkway.

SpaceX designs, manufactures, tests, and launches rockets that carry satellites and spacecraft to orbit and spacecraft that transport cargo, and eventually astronauts, to and from the International Space Station. Every Merlin engine that powers the company’s Falcon 9 rockets and every Draco thruster that controls its Dragon spacecraft are first tested on the ground in Texas.

About SpaceX

SpaceX is the leading American space transport company, advancing the boundaries of space technology through its Falcon launch vehicles and Dragon spacecraft. Following the retirement of NASA’s Space Shuttle Program, the Falcon 9 / Dragon system, will take over delivery of initially cargo and later astronauts to the International Space Station.

In April 2011, SpaceX announced its plans to design, build and launch the Falcon Heavy – the world’s largest rocket since the Saturn V moon rocket. The Falcon Heavy will have the ability to carry payloads weighing over 53 metric tons to orbit, offering more than twice the performance of other commercial providers. The Falcon 9, Falcon Heavy and Dragon spacecraft together will ensure the U.S. maintains leadership in the dynamic global space marketplace. For more information, visit SpaceX.com.

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