SpaceX to wind down Falcon after Starship achieves weekly flights, Musk says
Elon Musk confirmed that SpaceX plans to reduce Falcon 9 production and flights once Starship achieves reliable flights several times per week. This will allow reallocating scarce engineering and production resources toward Starship, aiming for a cadence of multiple daily flights. Currently, Falcon 9 remains the busiest orbital vehicle, with about 140-145 flights expected in 2026. However, infrastructure and logistics are shifting to prioritize Starship, targeting heavier and next-generation missions like Starlink, lunar refueling, and larger payloads. Falcon will continue operating for NASA c
- Starship must fly several times weekly to reduce Falcon 9
- Multiple daily Starship flights planned after that milestone
- Falcon 9 expected to fly 140-145 times in 2026, fewer than 2025
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