A performance by the Spazmatics followed Bjelde’s talk. The band kicked off its set with a recording of the theme of “2001: A Space Odyssey.”

“There’s a Dragon in orbit above us as we speak,” Bjelde said, pointing to a well-worn Dragon spacecraft on display at the entrance to the arena. “This one here was the first to deliver cargo to the International Space Station and bring cargo back.”

Research is underway to modify Dragons to carry people.

A constant stream of visitors with cameras surrounded the spacecraft on their way into the building, which housed a face-painting table, bounce houses and a petting zoo by Ewepet of Dallas.

Outside, guests dined on offerings from five food trucks in the pavilion and boarded buses for tours of the SpaceX facility.

“I was living here when the facility opened,” Harris Creek resident Rick Taylor said. “I remember when they brought this capsule in with its rocket. They had to block off Highway 317 to move it in.”

Sandra Sanders, whose husband works for SpaceX, said, “They do everything big.”