Live coverage of the countdown and launch of a Japanese H-2A rocket with the Michibiki 3 navigation satellite. Text updates will appear automatically below; there is no need to reload the page. Follow us on Twitter.
News
Asteroid missions on track to reach their destinations in 2018
Pioneering spacecraft from NASA and the Japanese space agency promise to reveal two unexplored asteroids later this year, officials said Wednesday, beginning surveys that will culminate in daring descents to capture samples for return to Earth, where eager scientists await a hands-on look at the specimens.