LOS ANGELES, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announced that the NOAA-N Prime weather satellite was successfully lifted off early Friday.

    Aboard a Delta 2 rocket, the satellite blasted into clear night sky from California's Vandenberg Air Force Base, NASA said.

    The countdown proceeded smoothly throughout the night and early morning. Neither the spacecraft nor the United Launch Alliance Delta II launch vehicle experienced any technical issues, and the weather conditions remained favorable, according to NASA.

    The countdown and launch are managed by the NASA Launch Services Program office at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

    Built by Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co., NOAA-N Prime is the fifth and last in the current series of five polar-orbiting satellites with improved imaging and sounding capabilities that have been observing Earth's weather since 1960.

    The NOAA-N Prime satellite will improve weather forecasting and monitor environmental events around the world, according to NASA.

    The satellite will collect meteorological data and transmit the information to NOAA's Satellite and Information Service, which processes the data for input to the National Weather Service for its long-range weather and climate forecasts.

    Forecasters worldwide also will be able to access to the satellite' s images and data, NASA said.

    The 564-million-dollar mission is managed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

    NOAA uses two satellites, a morning and afternoon satellite, to ensure every part of Earth is observed at least twice every 12 hours.