Space Force scrambles as Elon Musk's SpaceX retires its major rocket
The US Space Force faces potential launch delays as SpaceX transitions from the Falcon 9 to the larger Starship rocket. Because many military satellites are not designed for Starship, the Pentagon's reliance on SpaceX creates a strategic bottleneck for national security missions.
Why it matters
This highlights the risks associated with the government's heavy dependence on a single private contractor for critical space infrastructure.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket returns at Cape Canaveral, Florida, after launching a Crew Dragon capsule into orbit on October 1, 2026. Marco Bello / AFP via Getty Images SpaceX is phasing out its popular Falcon 9 rocket in favor of its much larger Starship rocket. That presents a headache for the US Space Force, POLITICO reports . The Space Force has said it's open to eventually using SpaceX's Starship. But there are engineering challenges to overcome. SpaceX's plans to retire its most popular rocket could jeopardize the United States' ability to launch military satellites — a plight compounded by the Pentagon's dependence on Elon Musk's company. SpaceX is by far the dominant player in the rocket business and indispensable to the military, dwarfing competitors and accounting for 85% of US launches in 2025.
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