Video: Atlas 5 rocket launches space station cargo mission

A new all-weather radar imaging satellite for China’s civilian-oriented fleet of Gaofen Earth observatories launched Wednesday aboard a Long March 4C rocket, according to Chinese state media.

A package of five satellites, including an Italian radar reconnaissance craft and a European Space Agency exoplanet science probe, soared into orbit Wednesday from French Guiana aboard a Russian-made Soyuz rocket.

The precautions were announced the same day as NASA said Roscosmos cosmonauts are set to perform “a more extensive repair operation”, but without providing details as to what that entails.