Live coverage: SpaceX finally launches Falcon 9 rocket

As expected, NASA announced Wednesday that the first unpiloted test flight of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and a Crew Dragon astronaut ferry ship has slipped from later this month to March 2. The first unpiloted flight of Boeing’s Starliner capsule is now targeted for the April timeframe.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches from launch pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center, carrying the EchoStar 23 commercial television broadcast satellite into orbit.

Two veteran NASA astronauts rocketed away from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Saturday to begin a test flight of a new commercial spaceship designed, built and owned by SpaceX.