The Japanese space agency said Wednesday the launch of an H-2A rocket with the country’s third navigation satellite was preemptively delayed at least 24 hours to Saturday to avoid thunderstorms with lightning in the forecast later this week.

The United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket, standing 206 feet tall and and weighing 1.3 million pounds, unleashes two-and-a-half million pounds of thrust from its main engine and five solid-fuel boosters to launch the Navy’s MUOS 5 satellite from Cape Canaveral.

Rocket Lab’s privately-developed Electron launcher soared into orbit from New Zealand on Saturday, U.S. time, a success that puts the company’s founder said will hasten dedicated, frequent and affordable rides to space for small satellites.