Policy
The US military seems to be getting nervous about the launch supply crunch
Ars Technica · By Stephen Clark ·
The Brief
- The US military is taking a new approach to support commercial launch companies as SpaceX looks to wind down its Falcon rocket program.
- Defense officials reportedly see the retirement of the Falcon rocket as a potential national security risk.
- The source article is truncated, so further details of the Pentagon's Office of Strategic initiative are not available.
Why it matters
If the most-used US rocket is retired, competition for launch capacity could tighten, affecting how science missions get to orbit and what they cost. Government support for commercial providers may shape which launch options remain available.
Who’s affected
- space scientists and mission planners
- commercial launch providers and space engineers
- anyone with a stake in US national security space policy
- #launch
- #spacex
- #falcon
- #defense
- #space policy
The US military is taking a new approach to prop up commercial launch companies as SpaceX looks to wind down its Falcon rocket program, suggesting defense officials see the workhorse rocket's retirement as a potential national security risk. The Pentagon's Office of Strategic…