Rocket Blasts Off With NASA Satellite To Track Climate Change

Variety
31-01-2015 | 10:59
High views
Share
LBCI
Share
LBCI
Whatsapp
facebook
Twitter
Messenger
telegram
telegram
print
Rocket Blasts Off With NASA Satellite To Track Climate Change
Whatsapp
facebook
Twitter
Messenger
telegram
telegram
print
2min
Rocket Blasts Off With NASA Satellite To Track Climate Change
An unmanned Delta 2 rocket lifted off from California on Saturday carrying a NASA satellite to measure how much water is in Earth's soil, information that will help weather forecasting and tracking of global climate change.       
 
The tiny amount of soil moisture links the planet's overall environmental systems - its water, energy and carbon cycles - as well as determines whether particular regions are afflicted with drought or flooding.        
 
"It's the metabolism of the system," NASA's Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) observatory lead scientist Dara Entekhabi told reporters at a prelaunch news conference.          
 
The 127-foot (39 meter) rocket, built and flown by United Launch Alliance, blasted off at 6:22 a.m. PST/1422 GMT from Vandenberg Air Force Base, located on California's central coast, a live NASA Television broadcast showed.            
 
The launch had been delayed a day by high winds and a second day to make minor repairs on the rocket's insulation.        
 
Perched on top on the rocket was NASA's 2,100-pound (950 kg) SMAP, which will spend at least three years measuring the amount of water in the top 2 inches of Earth's soil.           
 
Overall, soil moisture accounts for less than 1 percent of the planet's total water reservoir, with 97 percent in the planet's oceans and nearly all of the rest locked in ice, said Entekhabi, from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.       
 
Currently, scientists rely largely on computer models to account for soil moisture.          
 
But from its orbital perch 426 miles (685 km) above Earth, SMAP has two microwave instruments to collect actual soil moisture measurements everywhere on Earth and update the measurements every two- to three days.      
 
Including the launch and three years of operations, the mission is costing NASA $916 million. United Launch Alliance is a partnership of Lockheed Martin Corp and Boeing Co.         
 
 
REUTERS
Subscribe to our VOD
SUBSCRIBE
Our visitors readings
d-none hideMe
LBCI
Lebanon News
2026-04-30

Israeli army expands evacuation warning to additional villages in South Lebanon

LBCI
World News
2026-02-24

Putin failed to achieve war goals, Zelensky says

LBCI
Middle East News
2026-02-23

US forces to complete withdrawal from Syria within a month: AFP

LBCI
Middle East News
2026-03-27

Iran Guards urge civilians to leave areas near US forces in region

Videos
d-none hideMe
LBCI
Lebanon News
2026-08-06

Lebanon-Israel talks: delegations arrive at US Embassy in Rome — Video

LBCI
Lebanon News
2026-07-24

Residents begin returning to Zawtar el-Gharbiyeh, southern Lebanon: Video

LBCI
Lebanon News
2026-07-20

Slotkin to LBCI: Lebanese army needs resources to confront Hezbollah, $36 million request submitted for special forces

LBCI
Lebanon News
2026-06-26

Lebanon’s ambassador to Washington: trilateral framework agreement first step toward restoring sovereignty

LBCI
Lebanon News
2026-06-26

Rubio on Lebanon-Israel framework agreement: 'beginning of the beginning,' more work needed

LBCI
Lebanon News
2026-06-26

Lebanon, Israel sign trilateral framework agreement after Washington talks attended by Rubio: Video

LBCI
Lebanon News
2026-06-20

Israeli strikes renew on Choukine, Maifadoun, and Nabatieh al-Fawqa in southern Lebanon: Video

LBCI
Lebanon News
2026-06-19

Massive Israeli strikes hit South Lebanon under ceasefire conditions

LBCI
Lebanon News
2026-06-16

Trump criticizes Israel’s Lebanon campaign, says war has gone on ‘too long’ and floats Syria role in conflict

Most read
d-none hideMe
24 hours
7 days
Month
LBCI
Lebanon News
08:52

Lebanon has not agreed to shortlist of countries that could verify Hezbollah's disarmament: Reuters

LBCI
Lebanon News
08:21

Dispute between Lebanon’s prime minister and defense minister under discussion, sources say

LBCI
News Bulletin Reports
12:55

Ali al-Taher hills: Between military confrontation and surrender scenario

LBCI
Lebanon News
10:39

Lebanon Cabinet approves fees on waste-generating products despite ministerial objections

LBCI
World News
10:32

Explosion rocks ammunition factory near Rome

LBCI
News Bulletin Reports
13:01

A new force for Lebanon's south? The debate over who will monitor the next phase after UNIFIL

LBCI
Lebanon News
03:24

Lebanon's defense minister apologizes to martyrs' families, vows to defend army's voice

LBCI
Lebanon News
05:53

Lebanon presidency denies media reports on Aoun-Trump meeting

Download now the LBCI mobile app
To see the latest news, the latest daily programs in Lebanon and the world
Google Play
App Store
Download now the LBCI mobile app
We use
cookies
We use cookies to make
your experience on this
website better.
Accept
Learn More