The third of five advanced NOAA satellites launched into orbit early Thursday from California's Vandenberg Space Force Base. The Joint Polar Satellite System-2 will provide a continuous stream of vital weather data.

"The need for advanced satellites, such as JPSS-2, to accurately predict weather and climate has never been greater," said Michael C. Morgan, assistant secretary of commerce for environmental observation and prediction. "With the steady rise in the number of billion-dollar disasters, NOAA remains committed to putting the best technology in space that leads to more reliable, timely forecasts."

The NOAA launch included NASA's LOFTID heat shield experiment. LOFTID is an inflatable heat shield designed to slow down and survive re-entry from low-Earth orbit.

NASA reported Thursday that LOFTID successfully landed close to a recovery ship following the launch.

According to NASA, the LOFTID technology could be "further developed to support crewed and large robotic missions to destinations such as Mars, Venus and Titan, as well as returning heavier payloads to Earth."

The NOAA said the JPSS-2 will be renamed NOAA-21 when it is in its final afternoon orbit. Two other NOAA satellites -- NPP and NOAA-20 -- are in place, orbiting 14 times a day to track and monitor weather and climate change, including potentially deadly events.

Two more advanced polar orbiting satellites in this system will be launched in the future. NOAA is partnering with EUMETSAT, an international partner providing similar monitoring.

According to the National Weather Service, these satellites are the foundation of weather forecasts and having them in orbit better prepares the public during weather emergencies.

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