Friday, January 5, 2018
SpaceX Shifts Mystery Zuma Launch To Sunday Due To Extreme Weather
Hawthorne-based SpaceX says it has shifted its launch date for its mysterious "Zuma" government payload to January 7th, as extreme weather slowed preparations for launch in Florida. The launch--originally targeted for 5pm on Friday--is being made for a mysterious, U.S. government customer. No details on what the "Zuma" payload is or where it will be placed into space have been released. SpaceX has only said that the primary contractor on the payload is Northrop Grumman. Zuma is on Pad 40 at Kennedy Space Center in Florida; SpaceX also has its Falcon Heavy rolled out in Florida for another expected launch sometime this month. The Kennedy Space Center now says the Falcon 9 launch with the Zuma will occur on January 7th at 8:00pm. EST.
Team at the Cape completed additional propellant loading tests today. Extreme weather slowed operations but Falcon 9 and the Zuma spacecraft are healthy and go for launch—now targeting January 7 from Pad 40 in Florida.
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) January 5, 2018