European Space Agency launches flood-predicting, earth monitoring satellite

On Sunday (the first of November) the European Space Agency launched a new satellite from a Russian rocket. This one, named the European Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) satellite has a few very important jobs to do. For the next 3-5 years, the satellite will gather data about the circulation patterns in Earth's oceans and the moisture in its soil. The collected information will hopefully be used to forecast weather patterns such as droughts and flood risks. Check out the video after the break for a detailed explanation and a peek at the satellite of love itself.

[Via Inhabitat]