Jason 3 pre-launch news conference

SpaceX has released photos of Elon Musk’s midnight cherry red Tesla Roadster, the dummy payload selected for the Falcon Heavy rocket’s maiden test flight, being readied for launch at Cape Canaveral.

The mission is part of SpaceX’s plan to bolster its internet network in Alaska and other polar regions. The Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from pad 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base at 8:52 p.m. PDT (11:52 p.m. EDT / 0352 UTC).

An Indian Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle blasted off and successfully deployed a military electronic surveillance satellite and 28 nanosatellites for companies in the United States, Lithuania, Spain and Switzerland at two different altitudes Monday, before the rocket’s upper stage began an extended mission as a solar-powered experiment platform in low Earth orbit.