Live coverage: Ariane 5 successful in middle-of-the-night launch

Turkmenistan’s first satellite has blasted off aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral in Florida after a weather delay. Liftoff occurred at 7:03 p.m. EDT (2303 GMT).

The first Ariane 5 launch since a mission flew off course Jan. 25, deploying two communications satellites into an off-target orbit, is underway. Liftoff with the DSN 1/Superbird 8 and Hylas 4 communications satellites occurred on time at 2134 GMT (5:34 p.m. EDT).

Iridium chief executive Matt Desch spoke with Spaceflight Now on the eve of the first launch for the company’s next-generation satellite fleet, discussing the $3 billion upgrade’s technical and financial ramifications and his feelings before deployments begin in orbit.