A New Mexico Community Was a Place to Build a Life. Then a Hypersonic Missile Factory Showed Up
Castelion—a next-generation defense tech company—is building a facility in Rio Rancho Estates that documents show could pose a major fire and chemical hazard to neighboring communities.
In a rural part of New Mexico, a woman purchased a small plot of land for $3,500, transforming it into a haven filled with crops like corn, squash, and green chile. However, this idyllic life was soon disrupted when a hypersonic missile factory, known as Castelion, began construction adjacent to the area. Castelion, founded by three former SpaceX executives in 2022, is constructing America's largest dedicated hypersonic manufacturing production facility, with completion expected by the end of the year.
The site is situated just 1,000 yards away from approximately 450 properties in Rio Rancho Estates, including some homes, posing potential danger if any explosive chemicals stored on-site were to ignite. Despite being in operation for a year, Castelion has yet to address fundamental safety concerns, even as officials have conducted hazard assessments.
The company's large valuation and lucrative military contracts have earned them a reputation as a key player in the defense tech industry, but the potential risks associated with their operations remain a cause for concern among local residents.
Written by urgent.news from Wired Science's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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