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SpaceX is launching a secret mission to space Wednesday. Here's what we know so far.
mashable ^ | 11/14/2017 | Miriam Kramer

Posted on 11/14/2017 7:30:43 PM PST by BenLurkin

If the Zuma launch goes well, it will mark SpaceX's 17th launch of 2017. If the landing goes off without a hitch, it will be the company's 20th overall successful landing. This includes landings on drone ships at sea as well as on land.

Very little is known about the Zuma mission, as no government or commercial entity has claimed it. 

Usually, even the National Reconnaissance Office — the branch of the government responsible for maintaining spy satellites — will say when a payload is theirs while keeping the mission details classified. But for some reason, whatever agency is behind Zuma isn't coming forward. 

All we know is that the aerospace and defense giant Northrop Grumman was asked by the government to procure a launch vehicle for the mission and it chose SpaceX, a spokesman for Northrop Grumman said via email. The spokesman also added that Zuma will be headed to low-Earth orbit, which is the region of space about 1,200 miles above the planet. 

Zuma calls to mind two missions launched in 2009 and 2014, according to industry publication Spaceflight Now. Those missions, called PAN and CLIO, were also secret and unclaimed by any government entity. 

(Excerpt) Read more at mashable.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy
KEYWORDS: elonmusk; launch; musk; secret; spacex; zuma

1 posted on 11/14/2017 7:30:43 PM PST by BenLurkin
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To: BenLurkin

Bookmark


2 posted on 11/14/2017 7:34:53 PM PST by Fiddlstix (Warning! This Is A Subliminal Tagline! Read it at your own risk!(Presented by TagLines R US))
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To: Fiddlstix; All

Zuma is headed for low Earth orbit (LEO), which extends to about 1,240 miles (2,000 kilometers) above the planet. LEO’s most famous resident is the International Space Station, which usually zooms around Earth at an altitude of about 250 miles (400 km), completing one lap every 90 minutes or so.

Wednesday’s launch is scheduled to occur from KSC’s historic Launch Pad 39A — the former site of Apollo moon mission and space shuttle liftoffs — during a 2-hour window that opens at 8 p.m. EST (0100 GMT on Nov. 16).

https://www.space.com/38772-spacex-launching-secret-zuma-mission.html


3 posted on 11/14/2017 7:39:28 PM PST by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either satire or opinion. Or both.)
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To: BenLurkin
Very interesting info. Thanks
4 posted on 11/14/2017 7:43:39 PM PST by Fiddlstix (Warning! This Is A Subliminal Tagline! Read it at your own risk!(Presented by TagLines R US))
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To: BenLurkin
A night launch? Great!

Much better than the fireworks at Disney.

5 posted on 11/14/2017 7:50:29 PM PST by texas booster (Join FreeRepublic's Folding@Home team (Team # 36120) Cure Alzheimer's!)
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To: BenLurkin

Isn’t this how Farscape started?


6 posted on 11/14/2017 7:53:01 PM PST by Only1choice____Freedom (If you choose not to deal with reality, reality will deal with you - and not on your terms)
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To: BenLurkin

Skynet...


7 posted on 11/14/2017 8:23:08 PM PST by null and void (The internet gave everyone a mouth. It gave no one a brain.)
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To: BenLurkin

” SpaceX is launching a secret mission to space Wednesday. Here’s what we know so far.”

Wait. If it’s secret, why is there an article about it?


8 posted on 11/14/2017 10:39:25 PM PST by Redcitizen
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To: BenLurkin

DARPA


9 posted on 11/15/2017 2:40:23 AM PST by PIF (They came for me and mine ... now it is your turn ...)
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To: Only1choice____Freedom

+1. Exactly.


10 posted on 11/15/2017 2:42:28 AM PST by mad_as_he$$
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To: BenLurkin; PrairieDawg; seekthetruth; Wilhelm Tell; BlueYonder; thingumbob; amzgirl; 75thOVI; ...
Brevard County, Florida LAUNCH ping.

Thursday, 8 PM window opens. Falcon 9 / Zuma

Let me know if you want on or off this low volume ping list.
(not associated with the county government)


11 posted on 11/15/2017 6:14:56 AM PST by NonValueAdded (#DeplorableMe #BitterClinger #HillNO! #cishet #MyPresident #MAGA #Winning #covfefe)
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To: BenLurkin

Zuma’s inclination will also be the same as the ISS.


12 posted on 11/15/2017 6:21:57 AM PST by Moonman62 (Make America Great Again!)
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To: BenLurkin

from the NASAspaceflight feed: [snip]

There are approved FCC licences for an RTLS launch 1390 from 39A on November 10th.

1446-EX-ST-2017:
https://apps.fcc.gov/oetcf/els/reports/STA_Print.cfm?mode=current&application_seq=80568&RequestTimeout=1000

1318-EX-ST-2017:
https://apps.fcc.gov/oetcf/els/reports/STA_Print.cfm?mode=current&application_seq=80217&RequestTimeout=1000


13 posted on 11/15/2017 7:50:09 AM PST by SunkenCiv (www.tapatalk.com/groups/godsgravesglyphs/, forum.darwincentral.org, www.gopbriefingroom.com)
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To: SunkenCiv

bttt


14 posted on 11/15/2017 7:50:43 AM PST by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either satire or opinion. Or both.)
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and from the nut barn:

Nibiru shock claim: spacex to launch secret planet x probe tonight - codename zuma
Lifestyle News
https://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3D3Lu-ph2sLro
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOVfUL1XbTA


15 posted on 11/15/2017 8:00:45 AM PST by SunkenCiv (www.tapatalk.com/groups/godsgravesglyphs/, forum.darwincentral.org, www.gopbriefingroom.com)
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LIVE: Zuma payload SpaceX Falcon 9 Launch 11/16/17 - NASA’s Kennedy Space Center
Live Stream TV News
Scheduled for Nov 16, 2017
WATCH Live stream coverage: Launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center with the Zuma payload for the U.S. government. The Falcon 9’s two-hour launch window opens at 8 p.m. EST Thursday (0100 GMT Friday) from pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. SpaceX’s live video webcast begins around 15 minutes prior to launch.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztTUDCGC99Y

Static fire test 11/11
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3IvbBBuhkI


16 posted on 11/15/2017 8:02:56 AM PST by SunkenCiv (www.tapatalk.com/groups/godsgravesglyphs/, forum.darwincentral.org, www.gopbriefingroom.com)
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