Musk didn't say when he expected the BFR to be ready in the wake of the strategy shake-up. In March, SpaceX aimed for early orbital launches by 2020.

It's not completely surprising that SpaceX might shift focus. The company's ultimate aim is to retire Falcon 9 in a few years once the BFR is ready. It would be pouring resources into a rocket whose shelf life could be quite limited by the time it's truly reusable. BFR, meanwhile, represents SpaceX's long-term future. What the spaceflight firm loses in near-term cost-cutting and waste reduction could be worthwhile if it speeds up the arrival of a long-term solution.