Live coverage: India’s first space observatory in orbit

A government communications satellite to link Indian citizens with telemedicine, education, and other services rocketed into orbit Thursday on an Indian Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle.

Firing into orbit from a barrier island on India’s east coast, a 145-foot-tall Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle lifted off early Wednesday to deploy 20 satellites in a perch more than 300 miles above Earth.

A week after a technical problem on the GSLV Mk.3 rocket thwarted a previous launch attempt, India’s Chandrayaan 2 lunar orbiter, lander and rover climbed into space at 0913 GMT (5:13 a.m. EDT) Monday.