● Farmworkers
Case Study
The dramatic increase in commercial satellite launches from Vandenberg Space Force Base (VSFB) in Lompoc, California, represents a significant shift in the region's operational landscape — one that is particularly acute given that the base is surrounded on its northern edge by agricultural fields. While framed by the aerospace industry as essential for universal internet access and by the military as part of national security, these launches create a cascading array of local effects for the agricultural community.
This case study centers the voices of those often excluded from decision-making processes, specifically investigating how the 50 individuals we interviewed — ranging from landowners to the farmworkers who labor directly in fields adjacent to launch complexes — experience these launches. By documenting the perspectives of these workers, many of whom are based out of Santa Maria, our research seeks to understand not just the physical impacts of rocket activity, but how this community perceives, interprets, and navigates a rapidly changing technological landscape.
Farmworker Perceptions
Our case study, involving interviews with 50 individuals across the agricultural sector, primarily farmworkers based in Santa Maria, reveals that the impacts of frequent rocket launches are filtered through direct experience, health anxieties, and a significant lack of institutional communication.
Direct Sensory Experience: For the agricultural community, knowledge of rocket activity is not mediated by official reports but by the body. Workers "see it, hear it, and feel it," with descriptions of sonic booms being felt "all the way to your toes."
Health, Environmental, and Safety Concerns: There is a visceral concern regarding the physical consequences of launch activity. Participants noted that the rumble "remains in the air, raising dirt," leading to questions about the toxicity of atmospheric debris and the safety of those working in close proximity to launch trajectories.
Political Climate and Institutional Anxiety: The research identified a major barrier to community engagement rooted in the current political climate. Heightened fears regarding immigration enforcement complicate the project’s outreach; furthermore, the presence of the federal government at VSFB leads some participants to conflate commercial space activities (like SpaceX) with military operations or broader concerns about war.
The Information Gap: We found a critical absence of clear, official, or accessible information for farmworkers. Most knowledge is disseminated informally through social networks (friends, family, and coworkers), which often results in incomplete or inaccurate information. While participants express confusion about the purpose and benefits of these launches, it is clear that they are deeply engaged, curious, and actively seeking more information.
