Classified

How does one fight a rumor when information is classified?  This is the case that SpaceX is in. There is a belief that its rocket failed with a secret load called Zuma on board. SpaceX has said its rocket did everything it was supposed to do, but it can’t answer whether the mission succeeded or whether something else went wrong. This is a predicament for the company, which wants to show a sterling record of good launches. So speculation swirls and SpaceX can say little to combat it. Meanwhile if the launch did fail in some fashion that did not involve the SpaceX rocket, the government needs to go back to the drawing board and build another satellite, an expensive proposition. In cases where there is a necessary lack of transparency, there is no good way to rebut rumors. One has to live with them.