SMOS Mission

Objectives and Applications

SMOS provides global observations of two crucial variables for modelling the weather and climate, soil moisture and ocean salinity. It will also monitor the vegetation water content, snow cover and ice structure.

Mission Summary

Full Name
Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (Earth Explorer Opportunity Mission)
Mission Status
Operational (extended)
Mission Agencies
Launch Date
02 Nov 2009
Mission Links
EOL Date
Dec 2025
EO Portal Info

Orbit Details

Orbit Type
Sun-synchronous
Orbit Period
100.075 minutes
Orbit Sense
Ascending
Orbit Inclination
98.44 deg
Orbit Altitude
758 km
Orbit Longitude
Orbit LST
6:00
Repeat Cycle
23 days
NORAD Catalog #
International Designator

Mission Instruments

MIRAS (SMOS) - Microwave Imaging Radiometer using Aperture Synthesis (MIRAS)

Mission Measurements

CategoryParameterInstrument(s)
LandSoil moisture MIRAS (SMOS)
OceanOcean Salinity MIRAS (SMOS)