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The second stage of a United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket is on its way from Building 836 on Vandenberg Air Force Base.

NASA

NASA
Washington, DC, United States

The second stage, or upper stage, of a United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket is on its way from Building 836 on south Vandenberg Air Force Base in California to the Horizontal Processing Facility at Space Launch Complex 2.


The Delta II rocket will be used to deliver NASA's Soil Moisture Active Passive mission, or SMAP, into orbit. SMAP will provide global measurements of soil moisture and its freeze/thaw state. These measurements will be used to enhance understanding of processes that link the water, energy and carbon cycles, and to extend the capabilities of weather and climate prediction models. SMAP data also will be used to quantify net carbon flux in boreal landscapes and to develop improved flood prediction and drought monitoring capabilities. Launch is scheduled for November 2014. To learn more about SMAP, visit http://smap.jpl.nasa.gov. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

Details

  • Title: The second stage of a United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket is on its way from Building 836 on Vandenberg Air Force Base.
  • Location: Vandenberg AFB, CA
  • Owner: KSC
  • Album: cbabir
  • About Title: To help you find images you’re searching for, previously untitled images have been labelled automatically based on their description

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