SpaceX is poised to launch today a secretive payload known as Zuma for the US government, though the nature of the mission and the agency behind it remain a mystery.
The launch atop a Falcon 9 rocket is scheduled from Cape Canaveral, Florida sometime between 8:00 pm and 10:00 pm (local time tomorrow).
SpaceX and the Pentagon did not respond to requests for comment about the nature of the mission.
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Northrup Grumman, the maker of the payload, said it was for the US government and would be delivered to low-Earth orbit, but offered no other details, according to Space.com.
SpaceX is no stranger to national security launches.
Earlier this year, the California-based company headed by billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk launched a spy satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office, and an X-37B space plane for the US Air Force.
After liftoff, SpaceX will attempt to return the first stage portion of its Falcon 9 rocket to Earth for a controlled landing on solid ground near Cape Canaveral.
If successful, it will be the 20th upright touchdown for a Falcon 9 since the company began its effort to recycle costly rocket parts and make spaceflight more affordable.
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