A worker died at SpaceX’s Starbase launch site in South Texas on May 15, 2026, prompting an investigation by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The incident occurred around 4:17 a.m. local time, though the exact circumstances remain unclear. OSHA confirmed it is probing the death but will not release further details until the investigation concludes, which could take months. The fatality comes just days before SpaceX’s planned launch of its upgraded Starship rocket and the release of its IPO prospectus, expected to be the largest in tech history.

Starbase has a history of safety issues. In 2025, an analysis of OSHA data showed the site had a significantly higher injury rate than industry peers. A 2023 Reuters investigation uncovered multiple unreported injuries and a 2014 worker death at SpaceX’s McGregor, Texas, test site. In January 2026, OSHA cited SpaceX for seven serious safety violations related to a crane collapse in June 2025, imposing maximum penalties on six counts totaling $115,850. The company is contesting these fines.

Legal actions have also followed. In December 2025, a subcontractor employee, Eduardo Cavazos, sued after being crushed by a falling metal support, suffering multiple fractures. OSHA conducted a rapid response investigation but took no punitive action, and the lawsuit was later dropped due to workers’ compensation protections. SpaceX has not commented on the recent fatality, nor has the newly incorporated city of Starbase.