A satellite built by the University of Florida has been launched to orbit on a rocket.
The Starlight spacecraft was launched on Friday from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., according to the university’s website.
The satellite is part of a larger constellation that includes two commercial satellites that can track storms in Florida.
The satellite will be used to map storm systems across the state, which have been a concern for many weather agencies in recent years.
“We are pleased to be a part of this new partnership between Florida Weather and Starlight,” said David Kincaid, a university spokesperson.
“The Florida Weather Service is the most-read weather service in the world, and StarLight will be a valuable resource for us in the years ahead.”
The Starlights will be launched on a Falcon 9 rocket that was used to launch SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft.
SpaceX launched the Dragon 2 and 3 to the International Space Station on Dec. 31, 2017.