SpaceX's Starbase: A Risky Path to the Stars

Starbase, SpaceX's bustling launch and manufacturing hub in Texas, has a problem: it's a hotspot for worker injuries. Since 2019, this site has seen injury rates much higher than other SpaceX facilities and the industry average.

The Numbers

• 2024 Injury Rate: 4.27 per 100 workers
• Industry Average: 0.75 per 100 workers
• Starbase's rate is nearly six times higher than the space vehicle manufacturing average.

Why So High?

Starbase is home to Starship, SpaceX's ambitious reusable rocket. The company has been pushing hard to get Starship operational, attempting eight test flights since its first orbital test in 2023.

A Throwback to the Past

• Industry average injury rates have dropped significantly since the 1990s.
• Starbase's rates are closer to what they were 30 years ago.
• Other SpaceX facilities also have higher-than-average injury rates, but none come close to Starbase.

Safety Concerns

• Safety experts have raised red flags.
• A former OSHA official called Starbase's injury rate a "red flag".
• Debate exists over whether the standard safety metric is the best way to measure safety performance.

Improvement, But Still High

• Starbase's injury rate has improved since 2023.
• Still the highest among SpaceX's land-based facilities.
• NASA, which has a big stake in Starship's development, says safety is a top priority.
• The agency is working with SpaceX to maintain a strong safety culture.