Posted: Fri, Dec 4, 2020, 10:27 AM ET (1527 GMT)
A Soyuz rocket launched a reconnaissance satellite for the UAE Tuesday night after months of delays. The Soyuz ST-A rocket lifted off from French Guiana at 8:33 pm EST (0133 GMT Wednesday) and released the Falcon Eye 2 satellite into a sun-synchronous orbit nearly an hour later. The launch was originally scheduled for March but postponed first by a technical issue with the rocket and then by the pandemic. Weather and technical issues scrubbed launch attempts Sunday and Monday nights. Falcon Eye 2, built by Airbus Defence and Space and Thales Alenia Space, will provide high-resolution imagery for the UAE's armed forces.

Related Links:

•  SpaceNews article
•  NASASpaceFlight.com article
•  Spaceflight Now article
•  TASS article
•  Arianespace press release