Abstract:
Musk's Space Exploration Technology Company (SpaceX) is gradually ending the use of "Falcon 9" rockets to perform Starlink launch missions on the east coast of the United States, and is preparing to switch to using Starship rockets for launches.
On Tuesday local time, Kiko Donchev, SpaceX's vice president of launch, posted on X to confirm the news. He said: "This launch from launch pad 40 is the last planned Falcon 9 Starlink mission in Florida." Donchev also added that this marked "the end of an era" and confirmed that "future Starlink missions in Florida will be conducted using Starships."
Donchef also said that the West Coast team will "continue to launch Starlink satellites from Vandenberg on a regular basis," and said he was "incredibly proud" of the team that made "Falcon 9 the most reliable launch vehicle in history."
On Tuesday, Falcon 9 launched 29 Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, marking the final launch of the planned Falcon 9 Starlink mission to the East Coast.
Musk said on X last weekend that phasing out the production and use of the Falcon series of rockets is inevitable. This includes not only the Falcon 9, but also the Falcon Heavy, a three-stage booster design that has flown 12 launches to date.
Musk said: "Once the Starship can achieve stable flights several times a week, it will be reasonable to transfer SpaceX's extremely scarce engineering and production resources to the Starship to increase the launch frequency to several times a day, which means the gradual discontinuation of the Falcon series."
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