SpaceX is facing two new wrongful termination lawsuits, with both plaintiffs alleging the company retaliated after they raised serious workplace safety concerns. The lawsuits, recently moved to federal court, claim that safety was routinely sacrificed in favor of meeting aggressive deadlines and minimizing costs.
One of the lawsuits was filed by Robert Markert, a former SpaceX supervisor with 13 years of service. In his complaint, Markert states that he warned leadership about a dangerous flaw in the rocket fairing recovery process, describing it as a risk that could “easily cause serious injury or death.” He claims his warning was dismissed because the procedure was “the more economical solution.” A few months later, in April, Markert was fired.
According to the suit, Markert described a toxic work culture in which technicians were forced to work 15 to 20 consecutive days, often under extreme pressure. When he voiced concerns, he was allegedly told, “the schedule comes first.” He also claims that on-the-job injuries were underreported due to fear of retaliation, and that his calls for formal training and certifications were brushed aside as too costly and time-consuming.
The second lawsuit comes from David Lavalle, a 60-year-old SpaceX plumber who joined the company in 2014. Lavalle alleges he was fired shortly after requesting medical leave for gout-related knee pain. His complaint outlines a history of untreated workplace injuries, including a fractured foot and chronic pain in his neck, back, shoulders, and wrists. While he filed for workers’ compensation in some cases, Lavalle claims he refrained from doing so for all injuries due to fear of retaliation.
Lavalle also suggests that his termination was part of a broader trend of age-based discrimination. He was allegedly part of a wave of layoffs following the appointment of a new 28-year-old senior manager, Scott Hiler, in late 2024.
Recent reporting revealed that SpaceX had one of the highest injury rates in the aerospace industry in 2024. According to data from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the company’s Starbase facility in Texas logged an injury rate of 4.27 per 100 employees, nearly triple the industry average of 1.6.
Even more alarming, the west coast rocket fairing recovery operations, where Markert worked with ship technicians, had the highest injury rate across all SpaceX sites, a staggering 7.6 injuries per 100 workers.
Both lawsuits were originally filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court before being removed by SpaceX to the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. Neither SpaceX nor the attorneys involved responded to requests for comment at the time of reporting.
The lawsuits come at a critical time for SpaceX, as the company accelerates development of its Starship ultra-heavy rocket for upcoming NASA missions, commercial payloads, and Starlink launches. Simultaneously, its Falcon 9 remains the world’s most frequently launched rocket, with 87 launches recorded in 2025 so far.
