Long awaited satellite to monitor water cycle reaches orbit

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The Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) mission will make global observations of soil moisture over Earth’s landmasses and salinity over the oceans (Image: ESA - AOES Medialab)

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The 658kg (1,450 lb) Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) satellite launched by the European Space Agency (ESA) this week is the first ever satellite designed both to map sea surface salinity and to monitor soil moisture on a global scale. The unique radiometer it carries will enable passive surveying of the water cycle between oceans, the atmosphere and land thereby playing a key role in the monitoring of global climate change.

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