Soil Moisture Active Passive, or SMAP, is an Earth satellite mission designed to measure and map Earth's soil moisture and freeze/thaw state to better understand terrestrial water, carbon and energy cycles.
Using an advanced radiometer, the satellite peers beneath clouds, vegetation and other surface features to monitor water and energy fluxes, helping improve flood predictions and drought monitoring. Data from the three-year mission will play a crucial role in understanding changes in water availability, food production and other societal impacts of climate change.
Feb. 2015: The Soil Moisture Active Passive successfully deploys its antenna
Sept. 2015: The Soil Moisture Active Passive radar ends operations, mission science continues