Live coverage: Orion lands in Pacific

A Delta 2 rocket lifted off from California’s Central Coast Saturday after back-to-back scrubbed launch attempts earlier this week. The Delta 2 delivered the JPSS 1 weather satellite to orbit for NOAA.

The issue with a gaseous nitrogen pipeline that caused the late March launch scrub was able to be resolved, according to NASA and its contractor, Air Liquide. Liftoff from Space Launch Complex 37 occurred at 12:53 p.m. EDT (1653 UTC).

SpaceX test-fired a previously-flown Falcon 9 rocket Monday evening on pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, setting the stage for a launch later this week carrying the Japanese-built, Qatari-owned Es’hail 2 communications satellite to orbit.