SpaceX stops accepting Falcon 9 bookings beyond 2028, betting everything on Starship

SpaceX has stopped accepting new dedicated launch bookings on its Falcon 9 rocket for missions scheduled beyond 2028, effectively signaling the beginning of the end for the most prolific launch vehicle in history. The company is channeling its resources toward Starship, the massive next-generation rocket that Elon Musk has positioned as the future of everything from Mars colonization to orbital infrastructure. The manifest is full, and SpaceX isn’t adding pages SpaceX’s Falcon 9 launch schedule is nearly at capacity. A substantial chunk of that remaining availability has been earmarked for internal projects, including the company’s ambitious orbital AI data center initiative. That leaves increasingly little room for external customers. SpaceX has also halted future reservations for its popular rideshare programs, the Transporter sun-synchronous orbit missions and the Bandwagon mid-inclination launches, for dates stretching beyond late 2028 and into early 2029. These programs had become a lifeline for small satellite operators seeking affordable access to orbit. The SEOPS Waymaker 2028 mission, one of the remaining bookable opportunities, is already fully sold out with substantial w...