Zuma

Zuma was an not yet identified payload built by Northrop Grumman for an unknown government organization. The NRO denied, that Zuma belonged to them.

The SpaceX Falcon-9 v1.2 launch was contracted via Northrop Grumman, which is also the builder of the satellite. The bus used for this mission has not been disclosed, but the Eagle-3 bus is likely. Launch site is Cape Canaveral. The payload adaptor for the launch vehicle was also provided by Northrop Grumman.

The target orbit was apparently a 51° inclined orbit of about 1000 km height.

There are rumors, that the Zuma satellite was left dead in orbit after launch. SpaceX stated, that the launch vehicle performed nominally. According to two officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, the Zuma satellite failed to separate from the second stage of the Falcon-9 rocket and is assumed to have been deorbited with the second stage. With the launch adaptor not provided by SpaceX, this was likely a payload and not a launch vehicle failure. A single object in orbit was entered into JSpOC's master catalog.