SpaceX's Starbase Facility Reports Significantly Higher Injury Rates Than Other Locations

According to worker safety records reviewed by TechCrunch, employees at SpaceX’s Starbase facility in Texas are significantly more likely to be injured compared to other SpaceX manufacturing sites and the broader aerospace industry. In 2024, Starbase reported a Total Recordable Incident Rate (TRIR) of 4.27 injuries per 100 workers, nearly six times higher than the average for space vehicle-manufacturing operations and nearly three times higher than the aerospace industry as a whole. This high injury rate has persisted since 2019 when SpaceX began sharing Starbase data with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
Starbase is the site of SpaceX’s ambitious Starship program, a fully reusable, ultra-heavy-lift rocket designed to launch Starlink internet satellites and other payloads. The facility’s rapid pace of development has come at a cost, with injured employees accounting for 3,558 restricted-duty days and 656 lost-time days in 2024. While the 2024 injury rate marked an improvement from the prior year, it still far exceeds industry averages.
In comparison, other SpaceX facilities reported lower TRIR rates in 2024, including 2.48 at McGregor, Texas; 3.49 at Bastrop, Texas; 1.43 at Hawthorne, California; and 2.89 at Redmond, Washington. The aerospace industry as a whole reported a TRIR of 1.6 in 2024.
Despite these challenges, NASA remains committed to the Starship program, which is a critical component of its plan to return humans to the moon by the end of the decade. The agency has contracts with SpaceX worth over $4 billion for two crewed Starship flights to the lunar surface. NASA emphasized that safety is a top priority and that it works closely with its commercial partners to maintain a healthy safety culture.
The debate over whether TRIR is the most reliable metric for assessing safety continues, with some safety professionals advocating for alternative measures. However, the consistently high injury rates at Starbase raise concerns about workplace safety and the need for further improvements.

Published: 7/19/2025