After more than a month of delays, the secret government spacecraft, called Zuma, has finally been launched into orbit using a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. It launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The Zuma mission was originally scheduled for last November, but was delayed for a multitude of reasons, including, “fairing testing” and “extreme weather.” Zuma was deliver to low-Earth orbit on Sunday, which is typically defined as any orbital path less than about 1,200 miles above the Earth’s surface, writes CNN. The precise destination of Zuma has not been disclosed. It was built for the U.S. government and has been shrouded in mystery. Usually, these payloads involve a military concern, such as national security, defense or surveillance. Because of the secrecy, SpaceX did not live stream the entire mission, but the company did guide the first-stage rocket booster back to Earth for a safe landing. Later this month, SpaceX, headed by Elon Musk, hopes to debut its latest invention: the Falcon Heavy, which will have three times the thrust of the Falcon 9.
Falcon 9 first stage has landed at Landing Zone 1. pic.twitter.com/679wN4F8kX
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) January 8, 2018
Thanks for reading InsideHook. Sign up for our daily newsletter and be in the know.
