SpaceX kicks off 2018 by launching a secretive spacecraft for the US govt.

Elon Musk's SpaceX has kicked off the new year with a bang. The company has launched a special payload – Zuma, a secretive spacecraft commissioned by the US government for an undisclosed mission. After more than a month of delay, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket vaulted toward the skies on Sunday from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Floridawith the secretive payload.

On Sunday, Zuma was delivered to low-Earth orbit, which is typically defined as any orbital path less than about 1,200 miles above the Earth's surface, according to NASA. Zuma's destination was not disclosed. When asked about the project in November, Northrop Grumman (NOC) -- the Virginia-based aerospace and defense company that built the spacecraft -- declined to give any details about which arm of the government funded it.

"The U.S. Government assigned Northrop Grumman the responsibility of acquiring launch services for this mission. Northrop Grumman realizes this is a monumental responsibility and we have taken great care to ensure the most affordable and lowest risk scenario for Zuma," the company said.

Because of the secrecy of the mission, SpaceX did not live stream the entire mission. The company plans to soon debut its latest invention: the Falcon Heavy, the monstrous rocket that will have three times the thrust of Falcon 9.

Falcon 9 first stage has landed at Landing Zone 1. pic.twitter.com/679wN4F8kX

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) January 8, 2018