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SpaceX's Starbase, the Texas facility developing Starship, reported a significantly higher worker injury rate (4.27 per 100 workers in 2024) than other SpaceX sites and the aerospace industry average. This elevated rate, persisting since 2019, is nearly six times higher than comparable facilities and three times the aerospace average. While SpaceX attributes this to the ambitious Starship program's rapid progress, former OSHA officials express safety concerns. Despite improvements from previous years, Starbase's injury rate remains a major outlier within SpaceX and the broader aerospace industry, raising questions about worker safety at the forefront of space exploration.

Prepared by Christopher Adams and reviewed by editorial team.