SpaceX May Have Destroyed a U.S. Spy Satellite Worth Billions of Dollars
The SpaceX launch of a government spacecraft is reported to have ended in disaster, with the payload burning up in the atmosphere before it reached orbit.
What happened: SpaceX launched a mysterious government payload called Zuma, thought to be a spy satellite, on Sunday. But the Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg say government officials have been briefed about the fact that it didn’t make it to orbit.
The problem: It’s claimed the payload didn’t separate from the rocket during the final stages of the launch, meaning it could have tumbled through Earth’s atmosphere and burned up on descent. The Journal says the satellite was worth “billions of dollars.”
The official line: SpaceX says it does “not comment on missions of this nature,” but “as of right now, reviews of the data indicate Falcon 9 performed nominally.”
Backstory: Recently, SpaceX has been making launches look easy. This news serves as a reminder: they’re not.
Deep Dive
Space
The search for extraterrestrial life is targeting Jupiter’s icy moon Europa
NASA’s Europa Clipper mission will travel to one of Jupiter's largest moons to look for evidence of conditions that could support life.
How to safely watch and photograph the total solar eclipse
The solar eclipse this Monday, April 8, will be visible to millions. Here’s how to make the most of your experience.
How scientists are using quantum squeezing to push the limits of their sensors
Fuzziness may rule the quantum realm, but it can be manipulated to our advantage.
Stay connected
Get the latest updates from
MIT Technology Review
Discover special offers, top stories, upcoming events, and more.