McGregor, a small city in central Texas with a population of less than 5,000 persons, has passed a set of amended ordinances that fine SpaceX for excessively loud noise and vibration caused by rocket motors being tested at its facility inside the city.

The ordinances also require SpaceX to pay the city a fee for every rocket test depending on how loud the noise gets. SpaceX has agreed to all the changes in the ordinances.

Like Us on Facebook

SpaceX has a 4,200 acre Rocket Development and Test Facility in western McGregor it acquired from defunct Beal Aerospace.  It's testing the engines for its Falcon 9 launch vehicle at the facility.

McGregor is used for research and development of new rocket engines and thrusters, and for testing final manufactured engines and various components and engines during development.

The City Council in McGregor passed the Rocket Motor Testing Zone ordinances that set limits on how loud any given rocket motor test can be. It also has a graduated list of fines SpaceX will pay if it violates any of the noise limits. The fines can reach as high $25,000 per violation.

The new ordinances establish noise limits; the time of day tests can be performed; limits on the size of rocket motors being tested and limits on vibrations the rocket motors can produce.

The payments to be levied on SpaceX for every test are:

* For a test whose volume exceeds 115 decibels: $5,000 per test.

* For a test that exceeds 120 decibels:  $7,500 per test.

* For a test that exceeds 125 decibels: $50,000.

In addition to these payments are a set of fines SpaceX will pay for violating them. Fines for violations of the ordinances are $10,000 for the first violation; $15,000 for the second and $25,000 for subsequent violations.

The ordinance limits acceptance tests to 15 seconds or less and says that if noise limits of 125 decibels are exceeded, the test must be stopped within three seconds. Testing is restricted between the hours of 9 p.m. and 7 a.m. All tests involving a rocket motor generating two million pounds of thrust must be conducted during daylight.

The ordinance gives the city the right to inspect the facility to ensure SpaceX is adhering to the new requirements. It also prohibits SpaceX from launching any rocket into the atmosphere or into space from the McGregor facility.

TagsMcGregor, Texas, SpaceX, Rocket Development and Test Facility, Rocket Motor Testing Zone