Q&A with Michel Denis, ExoMars flight director

The mission marked the first time that an American-made rocket launched Europe’s answer to the GPS satellite constellation. Liftoff from Launch Complex 39A happened at 8:34 p.m. EDT (0034 UTC) on Saturday, April 27.

A Russian Soyuz rocket blasted off from Kazakhstan Friday, boosting a three-man crew into orbit for a six-hour flight to the International Space Station.

After months of delays caused by the coronavirus pandemic, Arianespace scrubbed back-to-back Vega launch attempts Saturday and Sunday due to unfavorable high-altitude winds over the European-run Guiana Space Center in South America. The Vega rocket is awaiting launch on a rideshare mission carrying 53 small satellites into orbit for 21 customers in 13 countries.