Zuma reported lost

A secret spacecraft launched by a SpaceX rocket on Sunday failed to enter a stable orbit and was lost. The spacecraft, called Zum, launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, apparently did not separate as it was supposed to from the upper stage of the rocket and did not reach a stable orbit. Northrop Grumman, which built the Zuma spacecraft, would only say that it's a classified program and can not comment. It was not clear if the failure was due to problems with the SpaceX rocket or with the Zuma spacecraft. SpaceX issued a statement Tuesday suggesting that its rocket performed as designed. (Sources: multiple, including CNN, Ars Technica, Wired, 01/09/18) Gulf Coast note: SpaceX is using Stennis Space Center, Miss., to develop its next-generation Raptor engine. Previous