Space Force scrambles as Elon Musk's SpaceX retires its major rocket

What happened: SpaceX is phasing out its Falcon 9 rocket in favor of the larger Starship, POLITICO reports, leaving the US Space Force facing a launch crunch for military satellites. Key numbers: SpaceX accounted for 85% of US launches in 2025. Why it matters: The Pentagon has few alternatives, and competitors are likely years away from comparable services. Military satellites are not designed to fit Starship, and Vulcan and New Glenn have faced delays and setbacks.

SpaceX retiring its major rocket triggers Space Force scramble, signaling critical launch capacity disruption.

SpaceX retiring its major rocket triggers Space Force scramble, signaling critical launch capacity disruption. — impact context not separately stored; see What changed.