Classified satellite fell into ocean after SpaceX launch, official confirms
Source: ABC News
A highly classified satellite launched by SpaceX this weekend ended up plummeting into the Indian Ocean, a U.S. official confirmed to ABC News. Following its launch from Florida's Cape Canaveral Sunday night, the satellite, codenamed Zuma, failed to remain in orbit, the official said.
Northrop Grumman, the defense contractor that manufactured the payload -- reportedly a billion-dollar spy satellite -- told ABC News its mission is classified and declined to comment on the loss of the satellite.
But SpaceX suggested that it was not at fault, telling ABC News its rocket, named Falcon 9, "did everything correctly." "The data reviewed so far indicates that no design, operational, or other changes are needed," SpaceX president Gwynne Shotwell said in a statement.
Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/US/classified-satellite-fell-ocean-spacex-launch-official-confirms/story?id=52246100
There is speculation that Northrop Grumman built the release mechanism rather than use the one from spacex, and that this may have been the cause of failure.
Response to Mr. Sparkle (Original post)
bitterross This message was self-deleted by its author.
Phoenix61
(17,021 posts)as they point fingers at each other over whose to blame.
WheelWalker
(8,956 posts)forgotmylogin
(7,539 posts)nitpicker
(7,153 posts)As they chug their coffees.
truthisfreedom
(23,159 posts)2naSalit
(86,842 posts)classified satellite, I think it might be a good thing that it is at the bottom of the ocean. I don't trust that sort of thing.
docgee
(870 posts)lagomorph777
(30,613 posts)So either it's there, or it's not.
However, if it was intended to drop out of orbit, that's a different matter....