A New Mexico Community Was a Place to Build a Life. Then a Hypersonic Missile Factory Showed Up
Residents of a New Mexico community are facing safety concerns after a hypersonic missile manufacturing facility was built in close proximity to their homes. The company, Castelion, has faced criticism for its lack of transparency regarding fire safety and potential chemical hazards.
Why it matters
The rapid growth of defense tech startups raises questions about the balance between national security interests and the safety and rights of local communities.
For $3,500, she was able to purchase half an acre for her trailer in a rural area located close to numerous elementary schools and parks. In a relatively short time, she was able to coax crops like corn, squash, and green chile from the ground. This cheap land became Schultz’s haven, giving her a second chance at life.
Then a missile company showed up next door.
“We’ve already been through so much,” she says, “and now we have to leave. It is the unknowing that is scariest.”
Castelion, a startup founded in November 2022 by three former SpaceX executives, is building Project Ranger, which it claims will be America’s “largest dedicated hypersonic manufacturing production facility.” Construction is set to be complete by the end of the year.
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