Live coverage of the countdown and launch of a Japanese H-2A rocket with the Himawari 9 weather satellite. Text updates will appear automatically below; there is no need to reload the page. Follow us on Twitter.
Ariane 5
Live coverage: Ariane 5 rocket launches Europe’s first mission to Jupiter
After the threat of lightning kept the mission on the ground Thursday, Arianespace and the European Space Agency successfully launched an Ariane 5 rocket Friday from Kourou, French Guiana, with the Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer mission, a robotic spacecraft embarking on an eight-year journey to the solar system’s largest planet. Liftoff with ESA’s JUICE spacecraft occurred at 8:14 a.m. EDT (1214 UTC).
Atlas 5
Live coverage: Atlas 5 launches with missile warning satellite for U.S. military
United Launch Alliance launched the U.S. military’s SBIRS GEO 5 early warning satellite into orbit aboard an Atlas 5 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. A launch attempt Monday was scrubbed during fueling preps due to a faulty temperature sensor. Liftoff of ULA’s workhorse rocket, fitted with two strap-on solid-fueled boosters, occurred at 1:37 p.m. EDT (1737 GMT).