NASA launches soil-climate satellite

US space agency NASA on Saturday launched a satellite that will aid scientists in predicting floods and droughts.
The Delta II rocket carrying NASA's Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) satellite launched from the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, dpa reported.
The launch was originally set for Thursday, but delayed because of concerns over high winds. Friday's launch was cancelled because Delta II needed repairs.
SMAP is to provide global coverage with more accurate estimates on how climate change will impact water supplies. It will provide key insight into Earth's water, carbon and energy cycles as it tracks the moisture in soil, its sponsors say.
The mission will provide information that will allow forecasters to better track ground water saturation, producing more accurate flood and drought predictions, said Dara Entekhabi, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology researcher who is leading the SMAP team.