A short video animation demonstrating the SMAP spacecraft
PREVIEW
Retrieved soil moisture based on both simulated “active” radar and “passive” radiometer data over three spacecraft swaths. The SMAP Testbed facility hosted the simulations, retrievals, and the presentation tools that yielded this output.
The water cycle is illustrated here.
The USDA National Agricultural Statistical Service (NASS) has launched a web-based U.S. crop vegetation condition assessment and monitoring application: VegScape (http://nassgeodata.gmu.edu/VegScape/).
The figure shows standard deviation of the difference between satellite observations and ECMWF model values for ASCAT soil moisture (m3.m-3).
Alongside the launch of SMAP, NASA pioneered an early adopter program to apply the data from the SMAP satellite to a variety of real-world applications.
A United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket with the Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) observatory onboard is seen in this long exposure photograph as it launches from Space Launch Complex 2, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2015, Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. SMAP is NASA’s first Earth-observing satellite designed to collect global observations of surface soil moisture and its freeze/thaw state. SMAP will provide high resolution global measurements of soil moisture from space. The data will be used to enhance scientists' understanding of the processes that link Earth's water, energy, and carbon cycles.
An animation that shows how SMAP gathers data.
Shows the swath path illustrating the scanning pattern of the antenna.
SMAP antenna deployment animation
SMAP Science Data System architecture and data flows.
A simple illustration of the major elements of the energy cycle is shown in the figure.
A trailer for the SMAP mission
The antenna reflector is a mesh antenna 6 meters (about 20 feet) in diameter.
The global carbon cycle is the complex set of interactions involving several different carbon-based gases (among them the so-called “greenhouse gases”) that take place between the atmosphere, land, and oceans of the Earth.
Two views of the SMAP Observatory, showing the Instrument (upper portion) and Spacecraft (lower portion) with the large antenna and solar array stowed for launch. This compact shape is needed to fit comfortably inside the launch vehicle’s protective fairing.
SMAP Sea Surface Salinity measurements reveal freshwater from the Amazon entering the Atlantic and being carried by ocean currents.
This chart provides an overview of mission events and operations during SMAP primary mission.
SMAP is designed to collect measurements of surface soil moisture and freeze/thaw state, together termed the hydrosphere state.
Promotional video for the NASA's Earth Campaign
The NASA press kit for the SMAP launch
The SMAP antenna fully unfurled during testing in the Spacecraft Assembly Facility.
The SMAP Observatory will be launched into Earth orbit aboard a Delta II rocket. The specific version of the Delta II used for SMAP employs two stages using liquid rocket engines, supplemented by three solid propellant rocket motors strapped to the first stage.
Measurement loop geometry of a radar swath showing the field of view orientations at two azimuths. Vg is the observatory’s velocity vector.
Table of data product levels and descriptions.
