SpaceX is quietly building its own volunteer fire department at Starbase, marking another step in the company's quest for total control over its Texas launch complex. The move comes as the newly incorporated city shifts away from relying on county emergency services, raising questions about corporate governance in America's newest company town.
SpaceX is taking emergency response into its own hands at Starbase, establishing a volunteer fire department that puts the company in direct control of firefighting at its sprawling Texas rocket facility. The move represents the latest step in CEO Elon Musk's vision of corporate self-governance, extending far beyond rocket launches into the basic infrastructure of municipal services.
A certificate of formation filed with Texas on June 30 officially created the Starbase Volunteer Fire Department, with two of its three directors being SpaceX employees. Cody Dye, the company's environmental health and safety manager, and Kevin Bagnall, in-house counsel, now oversee an organization tasked with "fire prevention and suppression services" at the site where SpaceX regularly tests its massive Super Heavy boosters.
The timing isn't coincidental. This summer's filing came just months after Starbase gained official city status in Texas, and coincided with SpaceX ending its funding arrangement for a Cameron County fire marshal position. "There was a position that was being funded through an agreement for services with SpaceX. That contract is terminating," deputy county administrator Xavier Villarreal told commissioners during an August meeting, according to TechCrunch's reporting.
The shift reflects SpaceX's broader strategy of minimizing external oversight at a facility known for spectacular failures. In June, a malfunction during Super Heavy testing triggered a dramatic fireball visible for miles, flooding local dispatch with panicked calls from residents. Such incidents underscore why fire response capability matters at Starbase - and why SpaceX wants direct control.
What's emerging is a two-tier approach to municipal services that favors corporate control where possible. While Starbase contracts with Cameron County for policing at $1.3 million annually, it allocated just $60,000 for its volunteer fire department in fiscal 2026. The disparity suggests SpaceX itself covers most firefighting equipment and operational costs, maintaining tighter oversight over emergency response than law enforcement.
