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Behind The Lens: Thrust and Power — SpaceX’s $100 Billion spaceport proposal (audio)

A proposed $100 billion SpaceX spaceport in Louisiana’s Vermilion Parish is raising questions about the potential impact of large-scale space operations on nearby communities and the environment.
by Carolyne Heldman
A man wearing glasses and a blue button-down shirt speaks to attendees seated in a meeting room. A Behind The Lens podcast graphic appears in the upper left corner.
Attendees gather for a meeting about SpaceX’s proposed $100 billion spaceport in Vermilion Parish, Louisiana. The project, which calls for eventually conducting up to 30 launches a day, has raised questions about its potential effects on nearby residents and the environment. (Photo by Gus Bennett / The Lens)
A man in a blue shirt addresses a crowded meeting room as attendees sit in rows facing a presentation screen displaying a SpaceX Starship rocket and launch infrastructure.
A speaker addresses a packed room as attendees listen to a presentation about SpaceX’s proposed $100 billion spaceport in Vermilion Parish, Louisiana. (Photo by Gus Bennett / The Lens)

This week on Behind The Lens, environmental reporter Delaney Nolan examines SpaceX’s ambitious plans to develop a spaceport with the eventual goal of conducting up to 30 launches a day. Company executives promise that the project will have no negative effects on residents’ lives or the surrounding natural environment.

Nolan outlines the proposal and reports on a recent meeting between SpaceX executives and residents of Pecan Island, where the company’s plans and assurances were discussed.

As SpaceX lays out its vision for the project, the episode explores the questions surrounding its proposed scale, environmental implications and potential effects on the people who live nearby.

Theme music by Podington Bear. Additional music: “James Murphy.”

Guest: Reporters Delaney Nolan

Host: Carolyne Heldman

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Carolyne Heldman

Carolyne Heldman Rovira has been in media for 35 years, and is currently the podcast host and producer for Behind The Lens. Heldman served as executive director at Aspen Public Radio, an NPR affiliate, where she launched four weekly news, public affairs, and cultural affairs programs. She has been a guest lecturer at Tulane University, is a frequent guest and moderator for the Aspen Institute, Rocky Mountain Institute, and the American Enterprise Institute.

View all posts by Carolyne Heldman