Earth  ID: 11744

NASA On Air: NASA Launches Soil Moisture Satellite to Aid Weather Forecasts (1/31/2015)

Released on January 30, 2015
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LEAD: NASA launched a new Earth-observing satellite over the weekend (Saturday, January 31, 2015) from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

1. The satellite's unique 20-foot spinning radar will measure the amount of water in the top two inches of soil around the world, every three days.

2. This information is important because the evaporation of water in soil affects how storm clouds develop.

3. Soil moisture data will assist forecasters to make better predictions of floods and droughts.

TAG: Monitoring worldwide changes to soil moisture will help scientists predict future weather and climate.

 

Related

SMAP Radiometer versus Radio Frequency Interference
Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) Live Shot Page 1.29.15

For More Information

http://smap.jpl.nasa.gov/

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/soil-moisture-active-passive-smap/

http://smap.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/description/

Credits

Howard Joe Witte (ADNET Systems Inc.): Producer
Joy Ng (USRA): Video Editor
Eric Sokolowsky (GST): Project Support
Please give credit for this item to:
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

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http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/11744

Keywords:
SVS >> HDTV
SVS >> Hyperwall
NASA Science >> Earth
SVS >> Presentation