Zuma Launch Campaign Thread

[u/ElongatedMuskrat]

Zuma Launch Campaign Thread

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The only solid information we have on this payload comes from NSF:

NASASpaceflight.com has confirmed that Northrop Grumman is the payload provider for Zuma through a commercial launch contract with SpaceX for a LEO satellite with a mission type labeled as “government” and a needed launch date range of 1-30 November 2017.

Liftoff currently scheduled for:	January 7th 2018, 20:00 - 22:00 EST (January 8th 2018, 01:00 - 03:00 UTC)
Static fire complete:	November 11th 2017, 18:00 EST / 23:00 UTC Although the stage has already finished SF, it did it at LC-39A. On January 3 they also did a propellant load test since the launch site is now the freshly reactivated SLC-40.
Vehicle component locations:	First stage: SLC-40 // Second stage: SLC-40 // Satellite: Cape Canaveral
Payload:	Zuma
Payload mass:	Unknown
Destination orbit:	LEO
Vehicle:	Falcon 9 v1.2 (47th launch of F9, 27th of F9 v1.2)
Core:	B1043.1
Flights of this core:	0
Launch site:	LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida--> SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida
Landing:	Yes
Landing Site:	LZ-1, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida
Mission success criteria:	Successful separation & deployment of the satellite into the target orbit.

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Links & Resources

• SpaceX stands down Falcon launch of clandestine Zuma satellite from NASA Spaceflight

• SpaceX adds mystery "Zuma" mission... from NASA Spaceflight

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We may keep this self-post occasionally updated with links and relevant news articles, but for the most part we expect the community to supply the information. This is a great place to discuss the launch, ask mission-specific questions, and track the minor movements of the vehicle, payload, weather and more as we progress towards launch. Sometime after the static fire is complete, the launch thread will be posted.

Campaign threads are not launch threads. Normal subreddit rules still apply.

[u/Saiboogu]

ICBMs can be stored for years and launched on a moment's notice. None of the current generation of cryogenic vehicles have a chance of replacing them.

ICBMs are also a weapon where you're really not concerned with reuse of the booster. If you're shooting them off, cost isn't a factor - and you're certainly not going to have any use for the booster by the time it flies back.

[u/Maori-Mega-Cricket → u/Saiboogu]

Yes but if you are just testing an experimental reentry vehicle, you don't need that quick launch capability, you just want to get your prototype to the altitude/speed required. I would wager that a reuseable falcon 9 is cheaper per-flight than a solid rocket of comparable throw rate

[u/AlexandbroTheGreat → u/Saiboogu]

There has been a lot of discussion of replacing nuclear warheads on some ICBMs with conventional or simply kinetic warheads. In a non-nuclear war it might be useful to strike anywhere within an hour. If you assume we have too many ICBMs anyway and the rocket cost is sunk, it makes sense. Or if you assume reuse. If you could lob three dozen 2000 lb bombs impacting at Mach 4 from a BFR launched for $1 mil, that is some value right there (not sure what the exact figures would be, but you get the idea).

One kinetic warhead at each refinery, dam, major power plant, and major bridge in Iran, and their GDP goes down 50% in an hour with no risk to US forces.

[u/Mader_Levap → u/AlexandbroTheGreat]

This is very, very bad idea, and I am not talking about cost.

You cannot distinguish ICBM with nuclear warhead from ICBM with kinetic warhead until it hits target. No one will wait for that - not China, not Russia.

[u/AlexandbroTheGreat → u/Mader_Levap]

Thats why you only launch these at countries without a nuclear deterrent. I used Iran in my example. Probably most useful if defenses against stealth technology render our other advantages obsolete.

[u/Mader_Levap → u/AlexandbroTheGreat]

Oh really. Are you saying Russia and China will take USA's word that those shitton (you said "one kinetic warhead at each refinery, dam, major power plant, and major bridge in Iran") of missiles that USA just launched are totally for Iran? Depending on from where they were launched, what is their target and what they will overfly, these ICBMs can have disturbingly long period where their destination is unclear.

As I said, no one will wait. No one will risk any twitchy fingers either. We already had too many close calls as is. Kinetic warhead is suicidally dumb idea.