When longtime supervisor Robert Markert warned SpaceX leaders that one part of the rocket fairing recovery process could \u201ceasily cause serious injury or death,\u201d he alleges he was ignored because \u201cit was the more economical solution,\u201d according to a recently filed lawsuit. A few months later, he was out of the job.<\/p>\n
Markert is one of two former SpaceX employees who have filed separate wrongful-termination lawsuits, both of which were removed to federal court earlier this month. The two complaints make similar allegations about how speed and cost-saving triumphed over other considerations \u2014 including safety.<\/p>\n
The lawsuits arrive as SpaceX races to get its Starship ultra-heavy rocket ready to complete missions for NASA, commercial customers, and to launch the company\u2019s Starlink satellite internet service. Beyond the Starship program, SpaceX also operates the most frequently launched rocket in history, the Falcon 9, which has flown 87 times so far this year. <\/p>\n
Markert spent 13 years at the company before being terminated in April. He alleges that during his tenure technicians were sometimes required to work 15 to 20 days in a row, but when he brought this up to supervisors, he was told \u201cthe schedule comes first.\u201d That punishing schedule, performed in a high-stress environment, resulted in injuries Markert alleges the ship technicians were too afraid to report.<\/p>\n
When Markert suggested the company prioritize trainings and certifications, he was told \u201cthere is no time for that and the company would not spend money on it,\u201d according to the complaint.<\/p>\n
The second lawsuit, filed by SpaceX plumber David Lavalle, alleges he was fired after the company failed to accommodate multiple work-related injuries, including a fractured foot, severe neck pain, injuries to his back and shoulders, and wrist pain. While Lavalle filed for workers\u2019 compensation for some of these injuries, he did not do so for all for fear of retaliation, the complaint says. \u00a0<\/p>\n
Nine days after requesting medical leave for gout-induced knee pain, Lavalle was terminated. Lavalle, who is 60 years old, joined the company in 2014. He alleges in the complaint he was part of a wave of firings of older staff members, led in part by 28-year-old Scott Hiler, whom SpaceX hired as a new senior manager late last year.<\/p>\n
Techcrunch event<\/p>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tOctober 27-29, 2025\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
A lawyer representing Markert declined comment, while Lavalle\u2019s attorney did not immediately respond to TechCrunch\u2019s request for comment.\u00a0SpaceX did not respond to TechCrunch\u2019s request for comment.<\/p>\n