The rocket carrying the SMAP soil moisture observatory lifts off Jan. 31 at California’s Vandenberg AFB. (Bill Ingalls photo courtesy NASA)

NASA launches satellite to map soil moisture

Reuters — An unmanned Delta 2 rocket was launched Saturday to put a NASA satellite into orbit that is expected to improve drought monitoring and flooding forecasts. The 39-metre rocket, built and flown by United Launch Alliance, lifted off from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California at 6:22 a.m. PT, the U.S. National Aeronautics and