On January 7th, SpaceX launched a rocket with a secret government mission named Zuma. Start carried out at night from Cape Canaveral (Florida). Initially, the launch was planned in November, but had to postpone the date, because the company located in California, wanted to more closely examine the potential problems with the fairing protecting the payload.
But what exactly needs protection is still a mystery. It is only known that the cargo belongs to the US government and will be placed in earth orbit. SpaceX and the Pentagon did not comment on the nature of the mission.
Last year, SpaceX launched several national security missions, including a spy satellite for the National Intelligence Agency and the Kh-37V spacecraft. The live broadcast did not show the Zuma spacecraft after separation from the first stage of the rocket. But representatives confirmed that deployed fairings and payloads were heading for near-earth orbit.
After launch, SpaceX returned part of the Falcon 9 rocket to Cape Canaveral using a vertical landing. Let's not forget that Ilon Mask is trying to improve the technology of reusable missiles, which will reduce the cost of space flight.
