Case Study Project Taking Flight

Specially prepared for the BEDC Board April 17, 2012

By Gilberto Salinas, Executive Vice President the Brownsville EDC

Paramount

Implications

of SpaceX

Gilberto Salinas, Executive Vice President

Brownsville Economic Development Council

Definitions

Spaceport Site launches a spacecraft into sub-orbit, basically

a large runway for spacecraft with wings, similar to an airport

Space Station Most familiar with International Space Station

Rocket Launch Site Area with launch pads with large

safety area, used for purely orbital flights

Launch Command Center Area where launch team literally

pushes the button for liftoff

Spaceport Launch Complex Area with multiple launch sites

and spaceports, i.e., Cape Canaveral

Not the Space Shuttle

Falcon 9 (ten launches)

Falcon Heavy (two launches)

The Space Shuttle was officially retired after 30 years

SpaceX will NOT be launching space shuttles from Boca Chica

Will deliver, satellites, payloads

From Southern Cameron County:

F9 Rocket, Dragon Capsule

Launch Operation

In order to launch, need to be near the equator

In an easterly direction, over a major body of water

Built away from large population centers

Maximize use of Earths rotational speed

Placement Consideration

Why Boca Chica area?

1 of 10 sites considered in 1950s by NASA

Southernmost city in continental U.S.

Next to the Gulf of Mexico

Plenty of undeveloped land

Logistics & manufacturing hub

Were Texas

Space Flights

Only four entities have conducted

orbital space flights where they

launched and retrieved their capsule:

United States

Russia

China

And Space X / Elon Musk

SpaceX Overview

U.S. Government

NASA

Founded in 2002 by Elon Musk

Co-Founder of PayPal

Tesla Motors

Solar City

Tony Stark

Secured $3 billion in launch business, about 40-plus missions

Domestic commercial customers

International customers & governments

SpaceX Overview

Headquarters & Manufacturing:

Hawthorne, Calif.

Launch Sites:

Cape Canaveral, Fla.

Vandenberg, Calif. (Under construction)

Other Offices:

Washington D.C.

Houston

Research Center & Test Site:

McGregor, Tx (Near Waco)

More than 1,800 employees

In process of Environmental Impact Study with FAA

More than 500 show for EIS public hearing May 15

SpaceX launches two F9-Dragons, May & October

Dragon connected with International Space Station

9 days later, splashdown in Pacific Ocean

Historic capsule in McGregor, Texas

Second public meeting planned for January

Florida and Puerto Rico viable options for SpaceX

Going Forward

Timeline

$80 million capital investment

600 direct jobs

$50 million direct annual salary

50% above average county wages

400 indirect, induced jobs

$70-plus million economic impact

10,000-15,000 visitors per launch

By the Numbers

Falcon Heavy

Internship opportunities for students

Space visitors center, museum, etc.

New curriculums in school districts

University, college partnerships

Entrepreneurial opportunities

Development of new aerospace cluster

Opportunities throughout Rio Grande Valley & South Texas

Impact Beyond Numbers

SpaceX has $3 billion in contracts

$50 to $70 in annual salary

600 direct jobs for Valley

More than 10,000 visitors per launch

Opportunity for community to step up

Game changer for the region

In Closing

Pushpin on the map

Ill tell you something, I had no idea where

where Brownsville, Texas was located

but now, Im sure everyone else is

trying to figure that out.

-- LA Times reporter who first called the BEDC