Posted on 11/16/2017 7:54:35 AM PST by BenLurkin
A Falcon 9 rocket is vertical on the pad at Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39A with a classified payload in the fairing. A launch window for the flight opens at 8:00 p.m. EST and remains open until 10:00 p.m. The first stage of the Falcon 9 will return for a vertical landing at Landing Zone 1 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
Defense giant Northrop Grumman has confirmed in a statement that it procured the launch for an undisclosed customer, but what the payload is, and who will be operating the satellite, have not been revealed. The codename for today's mission: Zuma.
The U.S. Air Force's 45th Weather Squadron yesterday predicted a 90 percent chance of favorable weather conditions for tonight's launch. You can watch a livestream of the launch below, starting about 15 minutes before the launch window opens, meaning 7:45 p.m. EST.
(Excerpt) Read more at popularmechanics.com ...
Launching Zuma into space!
First Mugabe, now Zuma.
Thanks for sharing....
I am sure our enemies are grateful too, Popular Mechanics
I remember the 1980s...
Zuma Wine Cooler Backpack by Picnic Time - WineVine Imports
https://winevineimports.com/wine-accessories/wine-bottle-and-wine-glass-carriers/zuma-wine-cooler-backpack-6606/
There’s nothing here that our enemies don’t already know.
First thing I thought: why are bringing so much Zima to space??
That is... If it doesn’t blow up during fueling, or while in flight.
I wonder how many successful launches SpaceX has had. I have heard about a lot of failures. If the number of failures is any indication, I would not trust them to launch anything of value.
Are they still using Russian rocket engines? Then...
Rockets from the Falcon 9 family have been launched 44 times over 7 years, resulting in 42 full mission successes (95.5% success rate), one partial success (with primary orbital payload delivery completed, but a secondary payload left in a lower-than-planned orbit), and one failure (with total loss of spacecraft). Additionally, one rocket and payload were destroyed before launch in preparation for an on-pad static fire test. 19 of 24 landing attempts (79%) have succeeded in recovering the rocket's first stage.
“Rockets from the Falcon 9 family have been launched 44 times over 7 years, resulting in 42 full mission successes (95.5% success rate), one partial success (with primary orbital payload delivery completed, but a secondary payload left in a lower-than-planned orbit), and one failure (with total loss of spacecraft).”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Falcon_9_and_Falcon_Heavy_launches
SpaceX doesn’t use Russian engines. That’s the United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V, one of SpaceX’s competitors. In fact, SpaceX is (or was) working on one of the potential replacement engines to get the Russian engines out of the Atlas.
"Merlin is a family of rocket engines developed by SpaceX for use on its Falcon 1 and Falcon 9 launch vehicles. SpaceX also plans to use Merlin engines on its upcoming Falcon Heavy launch vehicle. Merlin engines use RP-1 and liquid oxygen as rocket propellants in a gas-generator power cycle. The Merlin engine was originally designed for sea recovery and reuse.
The injector at the heart of Merlin is of the pintle type that was first used in the Apollo program for the lunar module landing engine (LMDE)."
Oh Space X, that recent classified payload launch...satellite still stuck to second stage rocket? Did it really ker-splash into the Pacific or...
Did it?
Classified ya know...
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