Four satellites soared into space Tuesday on top of a Soyuz rocket launched from the jungle of South America, beginning the assembly of a fleet of spacecraft equipped to beam broadband connectivity to billions of people beyond the reach of affordable high-speed Internet services.

The flight began at 1927:03 GMT (3:27:03 p.m. EDT) with a fiery liftoff from the Guiana Space Center, a European-run spaceport on the northeast coast of South America. The 151-foot-tall Soyuz launcher disappeared into clouds over the jungle launch base, where inclement weather forced two delays in the mission - first from Monday due to unfavorable high-altitude winds, then a 33-minute delay Tuesday to wait for a storm to pass.

The three-stage launcher, flying in a modern configuration with a digital flight control system and an upgraded RD-0124 third stage engine, deployed a Fregat upper stage about nine minutes after liftoff to complete the task of placing the four 1,543-pound satellites in an unusual 4,865-mile-high orbit over the equator.

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Jean-Loïc Galle, CEO of Thales Alenia Space, says all parameters for the first two satellites are positive, confirming the extension of the solar arrays. The other satellites, which separated from the launcher later, also appear healthy.

O3b Networks CEO Steve Collar says all four satellites are communicating with ground stations following today's launch.

Arianespace chairman and CEO Stephane Israel tweeted:

"Arianespace helps bridge the digital divide! Our first Soyuz launch from French Guyana for O3b orbits its initial four satellites. Great!"

Separation of the final two O3b satellites, concluding the Soyuz rocket's fifth launch from French Guiana!

The Fregat's fourth and final firing before deployment of the last two O3b satellites has been completed.

Spacecraft no. 2 and spacecraft no. 4 have separated from the dispenser atop the Fregat upper stage. Deployment of the remaining two craft comes in about 22 minutes.

The third burn is complete, setting the stage for separation of the first two O3b satellites in a few minutes.

The Fregat engine is firing again to circularize its orbit.

The third burn of the Fregat upper stage is scheduled to begin in about 9 minutes. This engine firing should last about 5 minutes to inject the O3b satellites into a near-circular orbit about 4,865 miles above Earth.

Two satellites will jettison from the dispenser shortly after the burn is complete, then Fregat's thrusters will briefly reignite to achieve appropriate spacing between the satellites before deployment of the other two spacecraft.

T+plus 32 minutes. The Fregat upper stage has turned off its engine again after reaching an elliptical transfer orbit, beginning an 81-minute coast before igniting again to circularize the orbit at 2119 GMT (5:19 p.m. EDT).

We will pause our coverage now while the Fregat is in a ballistic coast phase.

T+plus 23 minutes. The Fregat engine has ignited again as planned, now flying over Africa.

The second ignition of the Fregat engine occurs at T+plus 22 minutes, 50 seconds for an 8-minute, 32-second burn.

These maneuvers are required to put the O3b satellites in the correct circular orbit over the equator at an altitude of 4,865 miles.

T+plus 14 minutes, 30 seconds. The Fregat engine has shut down on time. This first of four burns was supposed to place the O3b satellites into a parking orbit with a high point of 141 miles (227 kilometers), a low point of 95 miles (153 kilometers), and an inclination of 5.15 degrees.

The hydrazine-fueled Fregat upper stage is now firing to propel itself into a parking orbit. This burn should last about 4 minutes.

T+plus 9 minutes, 40 seconds. The Soyuz third stage and Fregat upper stage have now separated. The first burn of the Fregat upper stage begins at T+plus 10 minutes, 23 seconds to boost the O3b satellites into a parking orbit.

T+plus 7 minutes. The Soyuz is now flying 181 kilometers high at a speed of 4.8 kilometers per second.

T+plus 5 minutes. At an altitude of 102 miles and a velocity of 8,500 mph, the Soyuz rocket's second stage has shut down and separated. Third stage ignition is also confirmed.

T+plus 3 minutes, 40 seconds. The rocket's 13.5-foot ST-type nose fairing has jettisoned now that the launcher is out of the lower atmosphere.

T+plus 2 minutes. The four strap-on boosters of the Soyuz rocket have separated at an altitude of approximately 37 miles. The core stage continues firing.

LIFTOFF of the Soyuz with the first four satellites for O3b Networks, beginning a mission to serve emerging markets with affordable broadband connectivity.

T-minus 15 seconds. Ignition of the Soyuz rocket's engines.

T-minus 1 minute. The Soyuz will transition to internal power 40 seconds before liftoff.

T-minus 2 minutes. The upper umbilical mast servicing the Soyuz rocket's four satellite payloads is being disconnected from the launcher.

T-minus 4 minutes. The exact liftoff time is 1927:03 (3:27:03 p.m. EDT; 4:27:03 p.m. local time).

T-minus 6 minutes. The launch key has been installed inside the launch control center, beginning the Soyuz rocket's synchronized countdown sequence.

T-minus 8 minutes. The Soyuz rocket family has flown 1,807 times since the 1950s, and this is the fifth time the venerable launcher will fly from outside the territory of the former Soviet Union.

After liftoff today, the Soyuz rocket will fly east from French Guiana over the Atlantic Ocean, beginning a more than two-hour ascent before deploying the four O3b satellites.

See more details of the launch timeline.

All systems are reporting a "go" status for an on-time launch this evening.

It is currently 4:17 p.m. in French Guiana.

The countdown has resumed with liftoff set for 1927 GMT (3:27 p.m. EDT).

Here are some statistics on today's launch:

• 1,808th Soyuz rocket launch
• 5th Soyuz launch from French Guiana since 2011
• 1st launch of O3b satellites
• 10th Soyuz launch of 2013
• 4th launch from Guiana Space Center in 2013

Liftoff has been pushed back to 1927 GMT (3:27 p.m. EDT) due to adverse weather conditions near the Soyuz launch pad at the Guiana Space Center. This is the second of two instantaneous launch opportunities today.

Meanwhile, all systems on the ground, the rocket and the spacecraft are technically ready for liftoff.

T-minus 14 minutes. The Soyuz countdown sequence begins 6 minutes, 10 seconds prior to liftoff, then the Fregat upper stage will transition to internal power five minutes before launch.

The umbilical arm servicing the upper stage and payloads will pull away at T-minus 2 minutes, 25 seconds. The Soyuz rocket is operating on internal power at T-minus 40 seconds, and the final servicing mast retracts from the rocket 20 seconds later.

The ignition sequence of the Soyuz rocket's kerosene-fueled core stage and four strap-on boosters begins 17 seconds before liftoff, and all engines should be at full thrust three seconds before launch.

We are now streaming live video from French Guiana of today's Soyuz rocket launch. You can reload this page to see the live webcast.

Weather conditions are favorable at the Guiana Space Center. The launch was supposed to occur yesterday, but high-altitude winds were out of limits, forcing a delay until today.

The launch of Russia's Resurs P1 imaging satellite appears to have been a success, with the Soyuz rocket reaching orbit and deploying the seven-ton spacecraft less than 9 minutes after liftoff.

Preparations continue in French Guiana for the second Soyuz launch of the day, with fueling of the launcher complete and retraction of the launch pad's 174-foot-tall mobile gantry underway. The gantry protects the rocket from weather conditions and provides a facility for the attachment of Soyuz payloads in a climate-controlled structure.

The gantry will be positioned about 260 feet from the launch pad at the time of liftoff.

The first of two Soyuz launches scheduled in less than 90 minutes today has occurred from the Baikonur Cosmodorme. The Soyuz 2-1b booster lifted off at 1728 GMT (1:28 p.m. EDT) with the Resurs P1 imaging satellite, and the rocket should deliver the craft into orbit in less than 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, at the Guiana Space Center, fueling of another Soyuz rocket is underway ahead of its launch scheduled for 1854 GMT (2:54 p.m. EDT) on a commercial launch with four broadband communications satellites for O3b Networks.

Two Russian Soyuz rockets are poised for liftoff from opposite sides of the planet Tuesday, flying to orbit on unrelated missions demonstrating the flexibility of the venerable launch vehicle.

The first launch is scheduled from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, with liftoff set for 1728:48 GMT (1:28:48 p.m. EDT) with a Russian Earth observation satellite named Resurs P1.

Less than 90 minutes later, at 1854:03 GMT (2:54:03 p.m. EDT), another Soyuz booster will blast off from the European-run spaceport in French Guiana, carrying four broadband communications satellites for O3b Networks Ltd.

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Today's scheduled launch of a Soyuz rocket from French Guiana has been delayed at least one day due to winds at the South American spaceport.

The launch time tomorrow will be 12 seconds later than today's scheduled time - 1854:03 GMT (2:54:03 p.m. EDT).

A Soyuz rocket is set for launch Monday to begin the deployment of a satellite network to serve emerging markets with high-speed Internet connectivity.

The expendable Russian booster is scheduled for launch at 1853:51 GMT (2:53:51 p.m. EDT) from the European-run Guiana Space Center on the northeast coast of South America.

It will mark the fifth launch of a Soyuz rocket from French Guiana, which is home of Europe's heavy-lift Ariane 5 and light Vega launchers.

Four satellites for O3b Networks Ltd. are inside the Soyuz rocket's nose fairing, ready to begin testing in orbit before being joined by four identical craft set for launch in September.

The eight-satellite constellation will begin commercial service this fall, reaching nearly 180 countries from a unique equatorial orbit 5,000 miles above Earth.

The Soyuz rocket will fly in the Soyuz 2-1b version - also known as the Soyuz ST-B configuration, with a modernized digital control system, an upgraded RD-0124 third stage engine and an ST-type payload fairing with a diameter of 13.4 feet.

Following a state commission meeting of mission managers, the Soyuz rocket will be filled with liquid oxygen and kerosene propellants beginning about four hours before liftoff, according to information released by Arianespace, the commercial operator for Soyuz rocket missions in French Guiana.

The launch pad's 174-foot-tall mobile gantry will be retracted about an hour before launch, moving into position about 260 feet from the Soyuz rocket.

After a computerized sequence, the 151-foot-tall launcher will ignite its main engines and blast off, turning east from the French Guiana spaceport and shedding strap-on boosters less than two minutes into the mission.

The Soyuz rocket's second and third stages will accelerate a Fregat upper stage and the four O3b satellites on a suborbital trajectory before giving way to the Fregat engine for a series of burns to put the spacecraft in the proper orbit.

Deployment of the satellites will occur two-at-a-time at 2054 GMT (4:54 p.m. EDT) and 2114 GMT (5:14 p.m. EDT), according to Arianespace.

The launch is targeting an orbit with an altitude of about 4,865 miles and an inclination of 0.04 degrees.