Photos: Atlas 5 rocket aims for International Space Station

A solid-fueled Minotaur 4 rocket lifted off from Wallops Island, Virginia at 9:46 a.m. EDT (1346 GMT) Wednesday. The four-stage rocket, comprised of retired Peacekeeper missile parts, launched on a mission to deliver four classified payloads into orbit for the National Reconnaissance Office.

A commercial communications satellite set for launch from Florida’s Space Coast on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket to beam broadband and television signals across the Asia-Pacific region will remain on Earth until at least Sunday night, 24 hours later than previously scheduled.

Live coverage from NASA Television for the launch of a Russian Progress cargo ship to the International Space Station. Liftoff from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, in Kazakhstan is scheduled for 0709 GMT (3:09 a.m. EDT).