A SpaceX engineer suffered a fractured skull during a routine rocket test in January and was placed in a coma

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A SpaceX engineer suffered a fractured skull during a routine rocket test in January and was placed in a coma
A Falcon 9 SpaceX heavy rocket lifts off from pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2018.Terry Renna/AP
  • A SpaceX engineer suffered a fractured skull in a January rocket test, people familiar told Insider.
  • The engineer, identified as Francisco Cabada, was placed in a coma for months, an OHSA report says.
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An engineer working at Elon Musk's SpaceX was put into a coma after suffering a head injury while testing a rocket part, according to people familiar with the matter and a regulator's report.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) said in an accident investigation summary that a SpaceX integration technician was performing checks on a Raptor V2 engine on January 18, 2022, when he "suffered a skull fracture and head trauma and was hospitalized in a coma for months."

That individual was Francisco Cabada, a father of three from Los Angeles, former intern Julia CrowleyFarenga told Insider. Two other individuals familiar with the matter, who wished to remain anonymous, confirmed the accident and Cabada's name to Insider.

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The digital publication Semafor was first to report the accident.

A GoFundMe page, said to be set up by Cabada's sister-in-law, says Cabada's wife and children have struggled financially because he was the "primary breadwinner." More than $51,000 has been raised and the page shows hundreds of donations from people who work at SpaceX.

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Cabada's sister posted a TikTok video on March 16 about the accident, which discussed how much the family missed him.

CrowleyFarenga told Insider that while Cabada was carrying out the test, a valve became highly pressurized and blew off a plate from the Raptor engine, which then hit him and knocked him to the ground.

The OHSA report says: "The final step in the pressure check operation, venting, was done for the first time using an automated program as opposed to the normal manual method that had been used in previous operations. Immediately after initiating the automated venting, the employee was struck by the fuel controller cover which broke free from the controller module."

California's Department of Industrial Relations said Cabada's injuries affected his head, respiratory system, and upper and lower extremities, per Semafor's report.

OSHA fined SpaceX more than $18,400 over two safety violations from the accident in January, the report says. One of the violations was considered the most serious penalty with the highest gravity, according to OSHA's investigation summary. OSHA's website says the maximum penalty per violation is $14,502.

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A lawyer for Cabada told Semafor that an investigation into what caused the accident was underway.

Cabada's brother-in-law and Cabada's lawyer told Semafor that Cabada was now out of a coma but remained in hospital because he was unable to communicate or survive without medical help.

CrowleyFarenga told Insider that SpaceX usually does a root cause analysis whenever there is an incident and this is normally released within a day. However, SpaceX has not released an analysis related to this incident, according to CrowleyFarenga.

SpaceX didn't immediately respond to Insider's request for comment. Semafor reported that former employees said SpaceX hasn't made a public announcement about the accident.

Are you a SpaceX worker who was present during the accident? Feel free to get in touch using a nonwork email address with either Kate Duffy at kduffy@insider.com or Sam Tabahriti at stabahriti@insider.com.

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