Company nixes possible plans for Marlin facility after public meeting
New Mexico-based X-Bow Systems Inc. or Crossbow, a privately owned launch services and rocket propulsion technology company, is passing on a potential rocket test site in Falls County after a public meeting June 14 in Marlin during which some residents expressed strong reservations about the proposal.
“Other X-Bow leadership called and discussed this with me this morning regarding next steps. I made the decision to pursue other opportunities that have been presented to me,” Lester Martin, the company’s ground logistics test director, said in a post circulated Tuesday.
Martin, who’s originally from the area, has worked for five companies in the space systems industry including SpaceX, which has a rocket motor test site in McGregor. He spoke to the city council during a meeting June 8 before the June 14 public meeting.
“I grew up in Marlin,” he said. “For the last 15 years I specialized in working for space start-ups. We got to talking about expanding our capabilities and are wanting to find a place to set up shop. Texas offers the best business environment to do that and when thinking about it I thought about home.”
The company was looking for a site to test small rocket engines, about the size of a bag, every other week for about 30 seconds at a time and to test a larger engine three to six times a year.
Martin was on hand along with other executives from the company.
Residents raised several concerns during the meeting about potential pollution, noise, threat to livestock, water supply and fire safety.
“This is an open forum to ask questions about our company,” X-Bow CEO Jason Hundley said. “I am passionate about making aerospace our national defense. We have not officially picked a spot yet.”
He said the company launches their systems in White Sands, and they are not planning on trying to launch the systems at the Marlin site.
There were many concerns from those in attendance about contaminating land and animals and the noise that would come with it. Residents voiced concerns about the fact that you can currently hear Space-X in Marlin now.
Hundley said the noise would be far less than Space-X.
“We are a small business and we manufacture solid rocket motors, Hundley said. “They are used in every safety system in your car. It is a compact chemistry that releases your air bag. The size of your rocket testing is approximately the size of a bag – 10 inches by 6-8 inches in diameter. To test we need to produce at a faster pace. We want to be able to fire off rocket motors. Our rockets are smaller than most fireworks you see in a display. You will hear them from a certain distance. The level of gas that is left with this system if you look at it – one cow has more gas coming out of it than this would. We have ranchlands around our current facility that cows graze on.”
Mayor Carolyn Lofton said in a statement on Facebook last week that X-Bow through its Marlin connection in Lester Martin, chose to look at Marlin out of other opportunities they had in Utah, Nevada, and Alabama.
The city was offering a 10-year lease on five acres of land in exchange for the company remaining in Marlin for the 10 years and providing a minimum of 25 percent of a potential 250-500 jobs over three to five years with a minimum pay of $15 per hour.
“ There were many who showed up but unfortunately, not in support,” Lofton said. “After witnessing racist comments and threats launched at the representatives from X-Bow and at city personnel, it was apparent that X-Bow would not be choosing Marlin. And they did not. The effects of last night will have far-reaching effects on Marlin’s future. The negative aura that previously surrounded Marlin has returned in one night. Marlin had the opportunity of a lifetime and the antics of a few killed an opportunity for many present and future Marlinites.”