Defense technology startup Castelion is rapidly pushing forward with the construction of a massive manufacturing facility in Rio Rancho Estates, New%20Mexico, sparking serious safety concerns among neighboring residents. Founded in November 2022 by three former SpaceX executives, the company is building Project Ranger, which it positions as a dedicated hypersonic production hub. The site sits roughly 1,000 yards away from hundreds of local residential properties, leaving homeowners anxious about potential risks.
Local residents like Sally Schultz, who purchased affordable land in the area to build a homestead, now find themselves questioning their future. Public records and official assessments indicate that the facility will store massive stockpiles of propellants, including heat-sensitive chemical oxidizers like ammonium perchlorate. A hazard assessment report highlights that a worst-case storage facility fire could leave buildings to burn while releasing hazardous hydrochloric acid gas into the surrounding environment.
Castelion has experienced rapid financial and operational growth, securing hundreds of millions of dollars in US military contracts and hitting a valuation of $13 billion. The firm aims to manufacture affordable hypersonic missiles, such as its solid-rocket-powered Blackbeard system. Before settling in New Mexico, the company initially applied to build a rocket facility in Nevada under the name Pallas Industrials before withdrawing those plans.
As construction nears completion, residents continue to press for definitive safety answers from state officials and the company. While Castelion works toward operational readiness and mass production targets, the surrounding community remains caught between local economic development and the heavy presence of defense manufacturing infrastructure.
Defense Startup Castelion Faces Safety Scrutiny Over New Mexico Missile Factory
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