California IN BRIEF : VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE : Military Weather Satellite Launched

A military weather satellite was launched into a near-polar orbit Saturday, the Air Force said. An Atlas E booster blasted off at 7:57 a.m. carrying a payload for the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program. Col. John A. Goyette, the program director, said in a statement that it was a “picture-perfect” launch. Meteorology information gathered by the satellite will be used by all branches of the services to aid commanders planning air, sea and ground operations, the Air Force said. The satellite will allow forecasters to track existing and developing weather patterns over remote areas. It will also be used by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and similar civilian agencies.