NASA Launches SMAP Satellite

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has on 2 February launched Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) satellite to observe soil moisture.It was launched from the Delta 2 rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. SMAP satellite is three-year mission which will measure the amount of moisture in soil. It will produce high-resolution global maps from space and data collected from it will help scientists to monitor droughts and improve flood forecasts.