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The Delta II rocket is fully fueled at this point following completion of LOX loading.

The liquid oxygen being pumped into the rocket's first stage is cryogenic, meaning it's chilled to extremely cold temperatures. As the propellant warms, small amounts of it boil away and vent from the side of the rocket. This puff of gaseous oxygen is visible in the image above, captured from NASA TV. Valves will periodically …

Why aren't winds considered part of the weather forecast? According to NASA TV Commentator George Diller, winds actually are a flight dynamics concern. Upper level wind criteria are determined by United Launch Alliance engineers. The winds a vehicle encounters during flight through the area of maximum aerodynamic pressure, or max Q, can have an impact …

Vandenberg Air Force Base 30th Operations Support Squadron Launch Weather Officer Lt. Johnny Martin provided a weather update to NASA Launch Manager Tim Dunn and the NASA and United Launch Alliance SMAP launch team a few minutes ago. There is a 100 percent chance of favorable launch weather with no range safety launch commit criteria …

Loading of cryogenic liquid oxygen into the Delta II rocket's first stage is beginning now.

Launch Conductor Mark Levesque and Launch Director Don Malin, both of United Launch Alliance, also have given the go-ahead to start the flow of liquid oxygen into the Delta II's first stage.

NASA Launch Manager Tim Dunn has polled his team and given the "go" to begin loading of cryogenic liquid oxygen into the Delta II rocket's first stage. That process, also called tanking, is expected to begin shortly. The Delta II 7320 rocket set to launch SMAP this morning stands 127 feet tall and weighs approximately …

Although water in the soil represents only a fraction of Earth's total water, it's important to understand and monitor. SMAP will provide high resolution, space-based measurements of soil moisture, and whether it's frozen or thawed. This is a new capability that will allow scientists to better predict natural hazards of extreme weather, climate change, floods …

The mobile service tower at Space Launch Complex 2 was rolled away from the Delta II rocket Friday evening, clearing the way for final prelaunch preparations to begin. Photo credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

Launch and mission managers are stationed at their consoles and countdown activities are in progress at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, where NASA's Soil Moisture Active Passive spacecraft awaits liftoff aboard a United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket. Liftoff remains scheduled for 9:20 a.m. EST. SMAP is a three-year mission to study and map …