Time lapse: Watch the Falcon Heavy placed on pad 39A

Eight of Iridium’s first ten upgraded communications satellites launched in January started providing voice and data relay service ahead of schedule, and SpaceX says it can launch up to 40 more Iridium spacecraft by the end of the year, Iridium officials reported Thursday.

Rocket Lab teams in New Zealand are preparing for the company’s first launch of the year Sunday (U.S. time) with a small experimental satellite for DARPA, the U.S. military’s research and development agency.

Liftoff from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida happened Monday at 8:35 a.m. EDT (1235 UTC), after four earlier attempts were scrubbed.