But Who Owns The Payload, Or What It Does, Have Not Been Disclosed

SpaceX has a mission on its schedule for launch as early as November 10 of this year that has space launch watchers scratching their heads.

Codenamed "Project Zuma" on the launch schedule, there is public claim of ownership of the payload by either a private or government entity. So what will actually be aboard that rocket is a mystery.

Space Flight Now reports that SpaceX did not respond to a request for information about the mission. It will launch as early as November 10 atop a Falcon 9 booster from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center.

The only thing that's known about Project Zuma at this point are what is included in the FCC filings showing the planned liftoff and recovery of the booster. Based on those filings, SpaceX plans to recover the booster on land back at the space center. The company must get authorization from the communications agency for the telemetry transmitters aboard the Falcon 9 rocket.

SpaceX has already conducted 15 launches in 2017. Along with Zuma, the schedule for the year includes a launch for KoreaSat at the end of October; an Iridium Next payload in late November from Vandenberg AFB in California; an ISS cargo delivery flight in early December; the launch of a Spanish communications satellite in December, and; a Falcon Heavy demo flight sometime "late" in 2017.

(Image from file)

FMI: Original Report