After a twenty-four hour delay, the CHaracterising ExOPlanets Satellite (CHEOPS) was hefted into space from aboard a Soyuz-Fregat launch vehicle at 3:54 a.m. Dec. 18. This launch was accomplished for the European Space Agency (ESA). The launch also saw the launch of Cosmos-Skymed (an Italian Earth-observing satellite) and three cubesats.