Posted on 10/16/2017 1:16:54 PM PDT by BenLurkin
It’s not often that one can point to a last-minute (from the public side) addition of a mission to a launch manifest – let alone one that manages to stay secret until 30 days before the opening of its launch campaign.
But that is the case for a mystery Falcon 9 mission that is now set to launch between Koreasat-5A and CRS-13/Dragon.
The mystery mission, codename Zuma, is known on its FCC launch license as Mission 1390 and will see a Falcon 9 rocket launch from LC-39A at the Kennedy Space Center before performing a RTLS (Return To Launch Site) landing at LZ-1 at Cape Canaveral.
The mission is a new addition to SpaceX’s manifest and now appears to be the last flight off Pad 39A before the pad undergoes final configurations for the debut of the Falcon Heavy, which is still slated for NET (No Earlier Than) December 2017.
With such secrecy, the customer candidate for Zuma would normally be the U.S. government/military (i.e.: the National Reconnaissance Office or the Air Force); however, there is industry speculation claiming this is a “black commercial” mission.
(Excerpt) Read more at nasaspaceflight.com ...
Great thing about SpaceX’s reusable craft is it’s much easier to insert such surprise missions.
I know that Iridium is planning a Low Earth Orbit satellite network of 68(?) geo-synchronous routers to provide worldwide digital broadband from space.
If they manage to pull it off, it’ll be a quantum leap ahead of cable.
SpaceX would like to launch it’s own network of 4000 to 5000 satellites for broadband.
Great article! Thanks for posting.
All of you ‘Never-SpaceXers’ who rant about SpaceX only existing because of government handouts need to read this in its entirety.
Great thing about SpaceX’s reusable craft is it’s much easier to insert such surprise missions.
...
Very true. Most people only think about cost savings, but reusability is just as much about a busy launch schedule.
The article says the secret mission will use a new core intended for CRS13, and CRS13 may use a refurbished core (but NASA has to allow it).
A smattering of tungsten rods on the payload?
If you build it, they will come. :^) Thanks BenLurkin.
Well said.
Outstanding!!
Bookmark.
The question is who controls the available spectrum?
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