What Happened
Industry Fears Falcon 9 Availability As Starship Ramps Up
SpaceX has launched the Transporter-17 mission, carrying 81 payloads to sun-synchronous orbit, amid growing concerns about the future of its rideshare program. The mission was anchored by the CAS500-4 South Korean imaging satellite and included hosted payloads and spacecraft carried on orbital transfer vehicles. However, industry partners and customers have expressed worries that SpaceX is winding down its rideshare program, at least using the Falcon 9 rocket, with some companies already seeking alternative launch arrangements. This development was first reported by SpaceNews.