Delta II Sends Weather Satellite into Orbit

Blogger update, 6:28 a.m.: the spacecraft has separated from the Delta II's second stage, prompting applause from managers in Vandenberg's mission director's center.

A Delta II rocket this morning delivered a national weather satellite into orbit, lighting up the dark central California sky as it rumbled through a low layer of clouds at 5:22 a.m. EST.

Click here to watch a NASA video of the launch.

The polar-orbiting NOAA-N Prime satellite is designed to improve weather forecasting around the world, including the tracking of severe events like hurricanes.

Owned and operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Lockheed Martin-built satellite overcame serious damage sustained during a 2003 manufacturing mishap.

This week, technical problems at Vandenberg Air Force Base's Space Launch Complex-2 scrubbed launch attempts Wednesday and Thursday.

The 14-foot, 3,100-pound spacecraft was scheduled to separate from the rocket's second stage about 65 minutes into flight.

Three strap-on solid rocket motors separated on time less than two minutes into flight, followed by the rocket's first stage 4.5 minutes after liftoff. The 10-foot diamter payload shroud fell away just under five minutes into flight.

Forecasters had predicted only a 40 percent chance of favorable weather conditions, but weather was "go" at the start of the 10-minute launch window.

NASA oversaw development and launch of the $564-million mission. The launch was the second of the year for United Launch Alliance, and the first from the West Coast.

The 12-story rocket blasted off almost on the 20th anniversary of the first Delta II launch, on Valentine's Day 1989.

The rocket has now had 138 successful launches in 140 tries.

Upon reaching its intended orbit, the satellite will be renamed NOAA-19.

IMAGE NOTE: Click to enlarge the images. Top, a United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket carrying the NASA NOAA-N Prime spacecraft blasts off from Space Launch Complex-2 at Vandenberg AFB, Calif., at 5:22 a.m. EST. After a 65 minute flight, the spacecraft was successfully placed in its assigned orbit signaling mission success. Photo by Carleton Bailie/ULA. Below, after the Delta II blasted through a low layer of clouds, computer-generated images tracked the spacecraft's progress. Credit: NASA TV.