SpaceX punts Starship launch as investigation opens into Starbase worker’s death

SpaceX has postponed its next Starship test flight to May 21, with a launch window opening at 6:30 P.M. EDT, following an investigation into a contractor’s death at its Starbase facility in Texas. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is probing the incident, where a contractor died in a fall near the Gigabay building used for Starship production. The delay follows an initial postponement from May 17 to May 19, though SpaceX has not confirmed if the incident is linked to the launch delay. This test marks the first flight of Starship V3, the latest and largest version of the rocket at 407 feet tall, designed to carry over 100 metric tons to orbit and be fully reusable. The suborbital test aims to demonstrate the vehicle’s functionality, as most prior attempts ended in explosions or disintegration. Success is critical for NASA’s Artemis program, which relies on Starship to transport astronauts from lunar orbit to the moon’s surface by 2028, including a planned 2027 docking test with the Orion capsule. The launch will be livestreamed on SpaceX’s website and YouTube, offering public visibility for a program under federal scrutiny over delays and worker safety. A 2025 federal watchdog report warned Starship was behind schedule, raising concerns about NASA’s moon mission timeline. The test’s outcome could also influence SpaceX’s upcoming initial public offering (IPO), projected to value the company at $1.75 trillion, the largest in history. Starship is central to SpaceX’s commercial ambitions, supporting its Starlink satellite network and planned space-based data centers. The rocket’s success could bolster SpaceX’s reputation as a leader in reusable launch systems, while failures risk further setbacks for NASA’s lunar ambitions and SpaceX’s financial plans.