Zuma
Launch Success
Liftoff Time (GMT)
01:00:00
Monday January 8, 2018
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Launch Notes
The classified Zuma satellite is believed to have failed to separate from the top of the Falcon 9's second stage after launch. Therefore, the billion dollar payload reentered the Earth's atmosphere shortly after launch. The failure has been linked with a Northrop Grumman built payload adapter, and thus the Falcon 9 performed properly and the launch is a success.
Zuma
USA-280 (codenamed "Zuma") was a classified United States government satellite. The specific agency in charge of the Zuma project has not been disclosed, nor its purpose. Unnamed sources have stated that the satellite was lost during deployment and re-entered the atmosphere, and independent investigations concluded that the spacecraft likely failed to separate from its payload adaptor.
Low Earth Orbit
1 Payload
Rocket
Agency
SpaceXPrice
$62.00 million
Rocket
Diameter: 3.7m
Height: 70m
Payload to Orbit
LEO: 22,800 kg
GTO: 8,300 kg
Liftoff Thrust
6,804 Kilonewtons
Fairing
Diameter: 5.2m
Height: 13m
Stages
2
Landing Zone 1
Launch Site
Stats
Falcon 9
48th
Mission
1st
Mission of 2018
SpaceX
53rd
Mission
1st
Mission of 2018
2018
1st
Orbital launch attempt