Zuma Satellite Reportedly Destroyed Following Sunday’s Launch By SpaceX

A satellite launched Sunday by SpaceX as part of a classified government mission reportedly failed to reach orbit and was destroyed, according the Wall Street Journal and Reuters.

The satellite, named Zuma, was built by Northrop Grumman Corp. and reportedly cost billions. Officials told Reuters that the satellite is a total loss, likely to have broken apart or crashed into the sea. SpaceX, however, says its own equipment didn’t fail.

SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwellafter issued a statement Tuesday saying “after review of all data to date, Falcon 9 did everything correctly on Sunday night. If we or others find otherwise based on further review, we will report it immediately. Information published that is contrary to this statement is categorically false. Due to the classified nature of the payload, no further comment is possible. Since the data reviewed so far indicates that no design, operational or other changes are needed, we do not anticipate any impact on the upcoming launch schedule.”

Northrop Grumman has declined to comment on the launch. So, details of the mission remain murky and likely won’t be cleared up until the mission is declassified.

Zuma was SpaceX’s first mission of 2018. You can watch SpaceX’s webcast of the mission here.

 

[Grendal]

The Everyday Astronaut gives the lowdown:

 

[ecarfan]

Thanks for posting that. Pretty good summary of the situation.

 

[Graffi]

From the first time I heard of the "Rumors" of failure I believed it was all a smoke screen to cover up the classified mission. Now I am more confident that this is the case.

 

[Electroman]

Now I am more confident that this is the case.

I am sorry, what has happened that gives you more confidence now?

 

[Graffi]

I am sorry, what has happened that gives you more confidence now?

Because even the Everyday Astronaut agrees with me.

 

[ecarfan]

Because even the Everyday Astronaut agrees with me.

I listened to the Everyday Astronaut’s video about Zuma and based on what I heard he does not believe that “it was all a smokescreen”.

 

[Electroman]

I listened to the Everyday Astronaut’s video about Zuma and based on what I heard he does not believe that “it was all a smokescreen”.

What does he know more, for him to make any intelligent speculation more than anyone of us here? nothing.

So his observations and commentary are no more valuable than most of us here.

 

[Nikxice]

What does he know more, for him to make any intelligent speculation more than anyone of us here? nothing.

So his observations and commentary are no more valuable than most of us here.

The Everyday Astronaut. A goofy space nerd without any insider information. In fact, he reminds me of me! (minus the suit)

I don't buy that Musk would have been dumb enough to go along with a cockamamie Zuma failure smokescreen. I can see conspiracy buffs even taking this out one step further. Perhaps the government and NG pulled a fast one on SpaceX after the launch, knowing they couldn't say much of anything! A fledgling commercial space company like SpaceX putting their reputation on the line for the kind of BS they're getting now? Just can't see it. The following link describes the cruel way SpaceX is being dragged through the mud by bogus media sources and some lackeys in Congress (and going on the public record).
The Zuma failure has emboldened critics of SpaceX
I gotta believe that Elon's too smart to have intentionally signed up for this circus.

 

[Grendal]

Also not a fan of the planned "smokescreen" concept. I think everything went as planned on the SpaceX side of the launch, up to and including the separation. Maybe the payload failed after separation and maybe it did not fail. After the payload separates, it no longer has anything to do with SpaceX. I am very skeptical of the WSJ and Bloomberg articles and believe there is enough evidence out there to say that it is very likely the payload did separate as it should have. If that is true then whoever did leak the information to WSJ and Bloomberg were making stuff up and didn't do a very good job of it. Which then lends credibility to the fact that those leakers weren't something that was planned.

JMHO.

 

[miimura]

Personally, I like the theory that Zuma was a hypersonic test vehicle. You know, zoom-zoom Zuma....

 

[Doug_G]

SpaceX gets good news from the Air Force on the Zuma mission

"Based on the data available, our team did not identify any information that would change SpaceX's Falcon 9 certification status," Lieutenant General John Thompson, commander of the Space and Missile Systems Center, told Bloomberg News.

So the Air Force is backing up SpaceX on this.

 

[Mo City]

SpaceX gets good news from the Air Force on the Zuma mission



So the Air Force is backing up SpaceX on this.

Duh. Considering what was at stake, isn't it obvious Gwynne Shotwell had her earlier statement cleared prior to release?

 

[AnxietyRanger]

Thank you for the info @Doug_G.

IMO sufficient time and data has passed to assume SpaceX was not a fault with this launch, as we suspected already, but can now safely assume.

Most importantly, from my spectator's perspective, it now seems very believable that the full reviews - given the past tense "did not identify" in the statement and the extended calendar time that has passed - have now been completed and thus this Air Force report has a believable air of definity - and third-party neutrality - to it, one that did not IMO exist prior. That is significant.

I consider the case closed.

 

[scaesare]

Translation: SpaceX knew enough at the time they made their statement to be correct, interweb armchair quarterbacks notwithstanding.

 

[Mo City]

Translation: SpaceX knew enough at the time they made their statement to be correct, interweb armchair quarterbacks notwithstanding.

It was foolhardy for anyone to think otherwise.

But armchair QBs are gonna do what they do. It's their comfort zone and makes them feel important.

 

[Pricee2]

An Amateur Just Found The Signal of a Satellite NASA Lost 12 Years Ago
I am not so good at this computin stuff so we will see if this link works.
ZUMA hopefully will be the next find.

 

[Pricee2]

ZUMA phone home?

 

[SMAlset]

Wall Street Journal reporting this morning that SpaceX not at fault for loss of Zuma instead Northrup Grumman.

 

[Nikxice]

Wall Street Journal reporting this morning that SpaceX not at fault for loss of Zuma instead Northrup Grumman.

Good catch. Guess it was just a matter of time before more info would leak exonerating SpaceX. Now Shelby from Alabama can really stuff it. Here's the link. Probes Point to Northrop Grumman Errors in January Spy-Satellite Failure

 

[scaesare]

Good catch. Guess it was just a matter of time before more info would leak exonerating SpaceX. Now Shelby from Alabama can really stuff it. Here's the link. Probes Point to Northrop Grumman Errors in January Spy-Satellite Failure

I do likes me a deep cover story...