A tragedy has occurred at the Starbase space complex in South Texas. An employee was killed while preparations were underway for the maiden flight of the latest Starship V3 rocket. According to The Wall Street Journal, the victim was a contractor who fell from a height. The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is currently investigating the circumstances of the incident. SpaceX has not publicly commented on the situation and has not disclosed the reasons for postponing the launch from May 19 to May 21.
What are Starbase and Starship V3?
Starbase is SpaceX’s key facility, where systems for the future colonization of the Moon and Mars are developed and tested. In May 2025, the complex was even granted official city status. Starship V3—the most powerful and tallest (over 122 m) upgraded version of the rocket, designed for deep-space missions—is currently preparing for its 12th test flight here.
Workplace Safety Statistics
The accident has once again drawn attention to working conditions at Elon Musk’s facilities. According to a TechCrunch analysis, the injury rate at Starbase has consistently and significantly exceeded the norm since 2019. In 2024, this rate was nearly six times higher than the average for the spacecraft manufacturing industry and three times higher than in the aerospace industry as a whole.
Legal pressure is increasing
Alongside its preparations for flights, SpaceX is facing a number of lawsuits. Specifically, the company is involved in a case regarding a truck driver who was injured due to a liquid methane leak in 2024 while delivering fuel. Additionally, more than 50 local residents have filed a class-action federal lawsuit, claiming that the powerful Starship launches are damaging their private homes.
We previously reported on the sudden deaths or disappearances of scientists working on classified NASA and SpaceX projects.
