When did SMAP launch?

January 31, 2015

Where is SMAP?

426 miles (686 km) above Earth

What does SMAP do?

SMAP (Soil Moisture Active Passive) is a mission that measures the amount of water in the top 2 inches (5 centimeters) of the soil, whether its frozen or thawed. It can measure the salt levels at the ocean surface, too. SMAP improves our ability to predict and monitor floods and droughts. It also helps to improve regular weather forecasts. It can also help predict how much food farm crops will produce.

Learn more about NASA’s SMAP.