# Space Force Missions Lack Launch Offers After SpaceX Declines

By Simon Yoon

Canonical URL: https://www.tokenpost.com/news/technology/44771
Published: 2026-10-30T14:22:31.000Z
Updated: 2026-10-30T14:22:31.000Z
Section: Technology

> Two missions were for the Space Development Agency; the third mission and requested launch dates were not identified. SpaceX has not set a final Falcon 9 flight date.

Three future satellite missions for the U.S. Space Force have no launch provider lined up after SpaceX turned down the work, two people familiar with the missions said. Their account puts government payloads among the customers facing limited launch options.

The people said no other rocket company offered to take the missions. Two were for the Space Development Agency; they did not identify the third mission or its requested launch dates.

Brig. Gen. Eric Zarybnisky, the Space Force’s acting portfolio acquisition executive for space access, said he did not consider any of the missions at risk of being unable to fly. He also acknowledged temporary challenges as new launch providers begin flying.

SpaceX said in a June 5 prospectus that it expects Falcon 9 launches to decrease over time as Starship contributes more launch volume. The company did not give a date for a final Falcon 9 flight.

SpaceX also disclosed that it may prioritize its own payloads over additional U.S. government contracts or other third-party customers as it pursues its orbital computing goals. The prospectus describes a possible priority, not a scheduled end to Falcon 9 operations.

SpaceX reported 165 Falcon 9 launches in 2025, including 157 using flight-proven boosters. The prospectus describes Falcon 9 as the company’s most active launch vehicle, even as SpaceX expects Starship to take on a larger share of launch volume.

Avio CEO Giulio Ranzo said Sept. 10 that customers unable to secure launches with SpaceX had approached Avio. He said some customers had also sought financial support from European institutions to help cover the cost of launching on European rockets.