McGREGOR (December 1, 2009)--During a time when most businesses are cutting hours, cutting corners and cutting jobs in an attempt to slash the bottom line, a company in Central Texas has been growing, albeit not so silently.

Space Exploration Technologies, locally known as SpaceX, announced Monday that the McGregor Rocket Development Facility now employs more than 100 permanent staff members, a number than swells in excess of 150 with contractors and test support staff.

SpaceX's facility in Central Texas spans 300-acres just outside of Waco and is home to five rocket test stands, three structural test stands and several state of the art control and utility buildings.


A Community Boon or Just a Resounding Boom?
The McGregor site has been the source of angst for some Central Texans, especially during late testing phase of the Falcon 9 rocket engine around this time last year.

Just before 10:30 p.m. on Nov. 22, 2008, the company fired its Falcon 9 rocket for 177 seconds – just shy of three minutes – and created a buzz around town that lasted for weeks.

Witnesses described what appeared to be an orange glow on the horizon and a deafening noise rattled the windows.

While the "other-worldly" occurrences had some fearful, it was business as usual for SpaceX, a business that is booming with success.

The facility itself dates back to the early 1940s when the U.S. military first used it for solid rocket motor testing.

SpaceX acquired the site in early January 2003 and has grown from an initial three-person team to well over 100 employees and counting.


What became of that Falcon 9 rocket engine that caused such a stir?
It and SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft are both under contract with NASA, slated for a minimum of 12 flights to resupply the International Space Station when the Space Shuttle retires.

For a guided tour of the McGregor Rocket Development Facility and information on career opportunities in Central Texas, visit the company's Website at www.SpaceX.com.