SpaceX launches secretive Zuma mission

California-based Private spaceflight company SpaceX has launched secret Zuma Mission for US government. It was launched on board of SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, US.

Zuma Mission

It is a secret mission in its nature or purpose and the agency behind it remains a mystery. It has been manufactured by Northrup Grumman, Virginia-based aerospace and defence company. It was delivered to low-Earth orbit (LEO).

SpaceX

SpaceX (Space Exploration Technologies Corporation) is aerospace manufacturer and space transport services company headquartered in California, US. It was founded in 2002 by Internet tycoon Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla Motors and former PayPal entrepreneur with the goal of creating the technologies to reduce space transportation costs and enable colonization of Mars.
SpaceX has developed the Falcon 1 and Falcon 9 launch vehicles, both designed to be reusable, thus reducing the cost of lauch. It also has developed Dragon spacecraft to supply cargo to ISS. It is also developing manned version of Dragon.
In 2008, SpaceX had created history by launching first privately funded, liquid-propellant rocket Falcon 1 to reach orbit in 2008. It also became first privately funded company to successfully launch, orbit and recover spacecraft (Dragon) in 2010. It was also first private company to send a spacecraft to ISS, in 2012.

Month: Current Affairs - January, 2018