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Elon Musk’s company SpaceX, known for its ambitious goals like missions to Mars and NASA’s Moon landings, is now facing a serious workplace safety crisis. Two former employees have filed lawsuits alleging wrongful termination and warning that employee health was sacrificed in the name of speed and cost-cutting.

“It could kill someone.” Safety warning allegedly ignored
Robert Markert, a former supervisor who worked at SpaceX for 13 years, claims in a lawsuit that he warned management about a potentially deadly step in the rocket fairing removal process. He says his concerns were ignored because a more dangerous method was “cheaper.” Months later, he was fired.
Also suing is David Lavalle, a plumber who joined the company in 2014. He says serious workplace injuries — including a broken leg, severe neck pain, and wrist issues — were ignored by the company. Fearing retaliation, he refrained from claiming full compensation. After taking medical leave for gout-related knee pain, he was terminated just nine days later. Lavalle also claims older workers were targeted, particularly after the company hired a 28-year-old executive named Scott Hiler.
Both complaints were initially filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court and later moved to federal court.

Exhaustion and overwork: 20 straight days on the job
Markert also revealed that some SpaceX technicians were working 15 to 20 consecutive days in high-pressure conditions. When he raised concerns about fatigue and lack of training, he was told “the schedule comes first.” He pushed for more training and certifications, but management allegedly refused, saying there was “no time or money” for it.

Injury rate at SpaceX far above industry average
According to TechCrunch, SpaceX had a worker injury rate nearly triple the aerospace industry average in 2024. At the Starbase facility in Texas, there were 4.27 injuries per 100 workers, compared to the industry norm of 1.6. On the West Coast, where rocket fairing recovery operations take place, the injury rate spiked to 7.6 incidents per 100 workers.

Starship lost over the ocean – investigation launched
At the end of May 2025, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) launched a formal investigation after a Starship test flight spiraled out of control over the Indian Ocean. Although the rocket launched successfully from Texas and flew farther than previous attempts, it ultimately broke apart mid-air. No injuries or public safety hazards were reported.
The rocket’s first stage — reused from a prior launch — also broke up over the Gulf of Mexico, but this was expected and approved by regulators. According to the FAA, all debris fell into predesignated hazard zones.

Musk pushes for faster testing despite risks
Elon Musk continues to push for faster Starship testing, hoping to pave the way for manned missions to Mars. Meanwhile, NASA plans to use Starship to land astronauts on the Moon in upcoming missions.

The question remains whether SpaceX can balance its bold technological ambitions with the safety of the people who bring those ambitions to life.

#ElonMusk , #SpaceX , #NASA , #worldnews , #Musk

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