Nasa is set for Januar 29 launch of the first US Earth-observing satellite designed to collect global observations of surface soil moisture. The agencys Soil Moisture Active Passive mission (SMAP) will lift off from Space Launch Complex 2 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California on a United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket, the US space agency said in a statement. SMAP will provide high resolution, space-based measurements of soil moisture and its state - frozen or thawed. This will allow scientists to better predict natural hazards of extreme weather, climate change, floods and droughts and help reduce uncertainties in our understanding of the Earths water, energy and carbon cycles.
Posted on: Tue, 27 Jan 2015 11:04:26 +0000