Live coverage: Two satellites lift off aboard Ariane 5

Closing out a banner year of launches, an Ariane 5 rocket thundered into space Wednesday from French Guiana with two commercial communications satellites manufactured in California to expand television and broadband access in Latin America and broadcast television programming in Japan.

A new satellite design will debut with Friday’s launch of a Soyuz rocket from French Guiana on a commercial mission to relay video, data and voice messages between the Americas and Europe.

SpaceX’s Dragon supply ship wrapped up a 29-day stay at the International Space Station on Tuesday, departing the complex with with nearly 3,700 pounds of research specimens and return cargo before re-entering the atmosphere and splashing down in the Pacific Ocean.