Atlas/Cygnus pre-launch news conference

The mission, dubbed Cert-2 by United Launch Alliance, is the final mission required before the rocket can begin launching national security missions. Liftoff is set for the beginning of a three-hour window at 6 a.m. EDT (1000 UTC).

Launch facilities at Cape Canaveral were spared any significant damage as Hurricane Dorian churned northward off Florida’s east coast earlier this week, and employees at the spaceport resumed their normal work Friday.

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket set to loft the fifth batch of Iridium Next mobile communications satellites stands vertical on Space Launch Complex 4-East at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.