A worker died Friday at SpaceX’s Starbase launch facility in Texas, prompting an investigation by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
According to the San Antonio Express-News, the unidentified worker died at approximately 4:17 a.m. local time on May 15. The report cited OSHA and local officials.
The Wall Street Journal later reported that the county sheriff confirmed a worker had died at the site.
OSHA confirmed to TechCrunch that it has opened an investigation into the apparent accident.
Authorities have not yet disclosed the circumstances surrounding the death.
OSHA told TechCrunch it would not release additional information until the investigation is completed, a process that could take several months.
Representatives for the nearby Brownsville police and fire departments did not respond to requests for comment. SpaceX and the recently incorporated city of Starbase also did not respond to requests for comment.
Incident Comes Ahead Of Planned Starship Launch
The worker’s death occurred days before the first planned launch of SpaceX’s upgraded Starship rocket system.
The company is also reportedly preparing to release a detailed prospectus connected to its expected initial public offering, which is anticipated to become one of the largest IPOs in history when completed next month.
Starbase serves as SpaceX’s primary testing and launch site for Starship prototypes and remains an active construction zone.
The site has faced repeated scrutiny over workplace safety conditions in recent years.
Starbase Previously Recorded High Injury Rates
In 2025, TechCrunch analyzed OSHA data and reported that Starbase recorded injury rates substantially higher than those of competing aerospace companies, making it the most dangerous SpaceX worksite based on available federal records.
A 2023 investigation by Reuters documented dozens of previously unreported workplace injuries and also identified a worker death that occurred in 2014 at SpaceX’s McGregor, Texas, testing facility.
Earlier this year, OSHA cited SpaceX for seven “serious” workplace safety violations tied to a crane collapse at Starbase in June 2025.
The violations included allegations that the company failed to properly inspect the crane before the incident occurred.
OSHA issued the maximum financial penalties for six of the seven violations, totaling $115,850.
Federal records show SpaceX is contesting those penalties.
Recent Lawsuits Alleged Workplace Injuries At Starbase
SpaceX has also faced multiple lawsuits involving workplace injuries at the Starbase site.
In December, subcontractor employee Eduardo Cavazos filed a lawsuit after being crushed by a large metal support that fell from a crane.
According to the lawsuit, Cavazos suffered a broken hip, knee, and tibia.
Following the incident, OSHA opened what it described as a “rapid response investigation,” as previously reported by TechCrunch.
However, public records later obtained by TechCrunch showed OSHA closed the investigation without taking punitive action.
The lawsuit involving Cavazos was also later dropped because his employer, a subcontractor working at the site, provided workers compensation insurance that prevented additional legal claims against the company, according to his attorney.
Featured image credits: Wikimedia Commons
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