Falcon 9 Zuma
A SpaceX Falcon 9 lifts off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, Jan. 7, carrying the classified Zuma spacecraft for Northrop Grumman. Credit: SpaceX webcast

WASHINGTON — SpaceX successfully launched a classified payload on a Falcon 9 Jan. 7, starting what is planned to be the busiest year yet for the launch provider.

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Jeff Foust writes about space policy, commercial space, and related topics for SpaceNews. He earned a Ph.D. in planetary sciences from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a bachelor’s degree with honors in geophysics and planetary science...