With SpaceX withdrawing the Falcon 9 from the commercial market by 2028, a new generation of US medium-lift rockets is emerging to fill the gap, featuring domestically built engines and cores as lessons from Falcon 9's success. Satellite operators face uncertainty for launches between 2027 and 2030, as multiple startups compete for commercial viability and billions in potential revenue.
Background
SpaceX has signaled it will stop selling Falcon 9 rides to external commercial customers by 2028, focusing instead on its own Starlink constellation, creating a significant gap in the medium-lift launch market. The Antares rocket, last deployed in 2013, highlighted the risks of relying on foreign-engineered components.
- Source
- Ars Technica
- Published
- Oct 21, 2026 at 03:13 AM
- Score
- 7.0 / 10