Workers align the nozzle with the second stage of the United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket in the Horizontal Processing Facility on Vandenberg Air Force Base.

Workers align the nozzle with the second stage of the United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket in the Horizontal Processing Facility at Space Launch Complex 2 on Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

The Delta II will be used to loft NASA's Soil Moisture Active Passive mission, or SMAP, into orbit. The spacecraft 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. The data returned 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