SMAP – Spaceflight Now

August 23, 2025

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Radar on NASA’s SMAP Earth observing satellite declared lost

September 3, 2015 Stephen Clark

One-half of the instrument payload aboard NASA’s $916 million Soil Moisture Active Passive satellite has failed after collecting just two months of data, NASA announced Wednesday after weeks of troubleshooting turned up no progress in recovering the sensor.

NASA troubleshoots radar outage on new SMAP satellite

August 10, 2015 Stephen Clark

Engineers have so far been unable to restart a balky radar aboard NASA’s Soil Moisture Active Passive environmental satellite launched in January, robbing scientists of the most detailed maps of how much water is locked up in the top layers of Earth’s land masses.

SMAP observatory unfurls large science antenna structure

February 25, 2015 Justin Ray

Deploying its marquee element in space Tuesday, NASA’s new Soil Moisture Active Passive spacecraft took a major step towards realizing its science potential.

Photos: Final batch of SMAP launch shots aboard Delta 2 rocket

February 5, 2015 Justin Ray

“We had a terrific ride into space aboard the United Launch Alliance’s Delta 2 vehicle. They deposited us exactly where we wanted to be with with accuracy and precision,” said Kent Kellogg, NASA’s SMAP project manager.

Photos: Gallery of Delta 2 launch

February 2, 2015 Justin Ray

The United Launch Alliance Delta 2 rocket lifts off with NASA’s SMAP observatory at 6:22 a.m. local time on Saturday, Jan. 31 from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

Video: Highlights of weekend’s Delta 2 launch

February 2, 2015 Justin Ray

The United Launch Alliance flight highlights reel for the Delta 2 rocket and NASA’s SMAP observatory from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

Photos: Delta 2 rocket blasts off with SMAP satellite

February 1, 2015 Justin Ray

The United Launch Alliance Delta 2 was launched Saturday at 6:22 a.m. local time with NASA’s Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) satellite from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

Camera aboard Delta 2 rocket watches SMAP begin life in orbit

February 1, 2015 Justin Ray

A video camera mounted aboard the United Launch Alliance Delta 2 rocket beamed back remarkable views of NASA’s SMAP spacecraft being deployed into orbit and opening its solar panels Saturday.

Full story: Delta 2 rises to occasion with SMAP observatory

January 31, 2015 Justin Ray

The ever-dependable Delta 2 rocket continued its flawless service to NASA and Earth sciences Saturday with the launch of a $916 million environmental probe focused on producing global maps of soil moisture from space.

Video: Delta 2 blasts off from Vandenberg

January 31, 2015 Stephen Clark

NASA’s Soil Moisture Active Passive satellite blasts off aboard a United Launch Alliance Delta 2 rocket Saturday, launching into orbit on a three-year mission to measure moisture levels in Earth’s soils.

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