Live coverage: Vega rocket launches with LISA Pathfinder

An Indian Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle lifted off at 0000 GMT Wednesday (8 p.m. EDT Tuesday) carrying a radar observation satellite to collect imagery in support of military, intelligence and environmental agencies.

Europe’s Sentinel 3B environmental satellite was shipped to the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in Russia’s far northern Arkhangelsk region in March for a month-long campaign to prepare the spacecraft for liftoff aboard a Rockot launcher.

A European-built Ariane 5 rocket rolled out to a launch pad in the South American jungle Wednesday with a pair of commercial television broadcast satellites for AT&T and Eutelsat, setting the stage for liftoff Thursday evening.