NASA launches its Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) satellite

US space agency NASA launched an Earth-observing satellite - the Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) satellite - from Vandenberg Air Force Base on California's central coast, shortly before sunrise on Saturday. The satellite was lifted off in the United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket.
The rocket was initially scheduled to fly earlier this week, but the launch was postponed due to high winds and technical issues.

The SMAP satellite launched by NASA is on a three-year mission, during which it will transmit data that will help forecast climate, track drought, and monitor climate change. The data transmitted by the satellite will chiefly help the world prepare better to deal with floods and droughts.


Since the SMAP satellite will essentially track the amount of water locked in soil, it is equipped with instruments which will measure moisture in the soil every several days for producing high-resolution global maps. The instruments will be checked by engineers for two weeks when the satellite reaches the desired orbit 430 miles high.


With NASA describing the glitch-free launch of the SMAP satellite as a "terrific ride into space," Geoffery Yoder - NASA's deputy associate administrator for programs - said that the data transmitted by the satellite will "benefit not only scientists seeking a better understanding of our planet, climate and environment . it's a boon for emergency planners and policy makers."