Peter Selding: https://twitter.com/pbdes/status/950473623483101186Zuma satellite from @northropgrumman may be dead in orbit after separation from @SpaceX Falcon 9, sources say. Info blackout renders any conclusion - launcher issue? Satellite-only issue? -- impossible to draw.Eric Berger:https://twitter.com/SciGuySpace/status/950474284807450625I have been chasing this story as well. No comment from SpaceX as of yet.This mission has a lot of weirdness from the start...............
Peter B. de Sending on Twitter@pbdesQuoteZuma satellite from @northropgrumman may be dead in orbit after separation from @SpaceX Falcon 9, sources say. Info blackout renders any conclusion - launcher issue? Satellite-only issue? -- impossible to draw.If you wanted your secret satellite to remain secret, it mightn't be a bad thing to suggest it never woke up on orbit.Or am I being cynical?
Zuma satellite from @northropgrumman may be dead in orbit after separation from @SpaceX Falcon 9, sources say. Info blackout renders any conclusion - launcher issue? Satellite-only issue? -- impossible to draw.
Quote from: ChrisGebhardt on 01/08/2018 08:17 pmPer Peter's tweet, what I struggle is how is could be a launcher issue if Zuma separated and is dead in space after separating from F9?See Progress M-27M, Commercial Titan 3 (Intelsat 6), etc. - Ed Kyle
Per Peter's tweet, what I struggle is how is could be a launcher issue if Zuma separated and is dead in space after separating from F9?
eh, had we seen the usual 'payload healthy and placed in good orbit' tweet we would be forgetting about Zuma and moving into FH hype. If these maneuvers are intended to lower people's attention to the payload they're not very effective.
SpaceX just told me there were no anomalies with the rocket during Sunday night's launch. (But that doesn't mean there weren't with the satellite).
Quote from: sunbingfa on 01/08/2018 08:13 pm Peter Selding: https://twitter.com/pbdes/status/950473623483101186Zuma satellite from @northropgrumman may be dead in orbit after separation from @SpaceX Falcon 9, sources say. Info blackout renders any conclusion - launcher issue? Satellite-only issue? -- impossible to draw.Eric Berger:https://twitter.com/SciGuySpace/status/950474284807450625I have been chasing this story as well. No comment from SpaceX as of yet.This mission has a lot of weirdness from the start...............Per Peter's tweet, what I struggle is how is could be a launcher issue if Zuma separated and is dead in space after separating from F9?
Quote from: AbuSimbel on 01/08/2018 08:17 pmeh, had we seen the usual 'payload healthy and placed in good orbit' tweet we would be forgetting about Zuma and moving into FH hype. If these maneuvers are intended to lower people's attention to the payload they're not very effective.The health of the spacecraft was not for SpaceX to report; and they do not do that other than with Dragon - any health update comes from the satellite owner / operator. SpaceX are virtually certainly contractually-bound not to reveal anything to do with the vehicle (ie their S2, the fairings and the payload) after S1 separation. That would, by definition, include whether or not it reached the correct orbit. This has been an odd and strangely secretive launch and I doubt we'll ever know for certain what's happened either way.
Quote from: ChrisGebhardt on 01/08/2018 08:17 pmQuote from: sunbingfa on 01/08/2018 08:13 pm Peter Selding: https://twitter.com/pbdes/status/950473623483101186Zuma satellite from @northropgrumman may be dead in orbit after separation from @SpaceX Falcon 9, sources say. Info blackout renders any conclusion - launcher issue? Satellite-only issue? -- impossible to draw.Eric Berger:https://twitter.com/SciGuySpace/status/950474284807450625I have been chasing this story as well. No comment from SpaceX as of yet.This mission has a lot of weirdness from the start...............Per Peter's tweet, what I struggle is how is could be a launcher issue if Zuma separated and is dead in space after separating from F9?Virbration or G-Loads could have been exceeded? Recontact during faring separation? Electrical malfunction?
https://arstechnica.com/science/2018/01/the-zuma-satellite-launched-by-spacex-may-be-lost-sources-tell-ars/"According to one source, the payload fell back to Earth along with the spent upper stage of the Falcon 9 rocket."Could this be possible?
Eric Berger’s write-up:https://arstechnica.com/science/2018/01/the-zuma-satellite-launched-by-spacex-may-be-lost-sources-tell-ars/Edit to add:Article includes:QuoteAccording to one source, the payload fell back to Earth along with the spent upper stage of the Falcon 9 rocket.Eric also gives same quote as in Chris G’s post above.
According to one source, the payload fell back to Earth along with the spent upper stage of the Falcon 9 rocket.
That makes no sense since there was a de-orbit burn of S2.
Now catalogued as USA 280, 2018-001A, 43098. Naturally no orbital data given.
Quote from: cebri on 01/08/2018 08:43 pmhttps://arstechnica.com/science/2018/01/the-zuma-satellite-launched-by-spacex-may-be-lost-sources-tell-ars/"According to one source, the payload fell back to Earth along with the spent upper stage of the Falcon 9 rocket."Could this be possible?Bottom line, yes. Especially if, for whatever reason, the upper stage did not get Zuma into a stable initial parking orbit (by accident or design).
Quote from: Ben the Space Brit on 01/08/2018 08:45 pmBottom line, yes. Especially if, for whatever reason, the upper stage did not get Zuma into a stable initial parking orbit (by accident or design).Which does not follow SpaceX saying that Falcon 9 functioned without issue. If the rocket didn't achieve orbital velocity, SpaceX would not publicly be saying the rocket had no issues. Not achieving orbital velocity for a rocket on a mission to insert a satellite into orbit is a failure.
Bottom line, yes. Especially if, for whatever reason, the upper stage did not get Zuma into a stable initial parking orbit (by accident or design).
Which does not follow SpaceX saying that Falcon 9 functioned without issue. If the rocket didn't achieve orbital velocity, SpaceX would not publicly be saying the rocket had no issues. Not achieving orbital velocity for a rocket on a mission to insert a satellite into orbit is a failure.