BOCA CHICA – SpaceX plans to launch rockets within a year from Boca Chica. Construction is well underway on the launch pad.

People living in the area said it is changing quickly.

A chain link fence surrounds the future SpaceX launch pad. It’s next to Boca Chica Beach, off the state road.

“It made a pretty good size mound at one time,” Terry Heaton said. His wife, Bonnie, and their grandson are one of the only permanent residents in Boca Chica Village. The rest are Winter Texans.

They’ve seen the area change in the last three years.

A large ground antenna can be seen from the front steps of their home. It was put in last month.

“They did a lot of work late at night, early in the morning, you sit there and hear them impact wrenches just rattling away, and that’s kind of annoying,” he said.

The large white antenna sits on a concrete foundation, next to the village.

It is one of two ground station antennas out in Boca Chica. The other one will be nearby. They’ll be used to track flights to the International Space Station.

The family is worried about the space company eventually taking over the subdivision.

“I wouldn’t be surprised. We’re hoping not. I don’t know,” Heaton said.

Heaton said SpaceX now owns a few homes and property in the subdivision. The previous owners sold their property.

The family said they now have paved streets and two entrances to the subdivision since the company moved in.

They’ll continue to stay put and wait for that first launch, they said.

SpaceX plans to launch rockets beginning in 2018. Their goal is to launch one rocket a month.