SMAP provides measurements of the land surface soil moisture and freeze-thaw state with near-global revisit coverage in 2–3 days.

SMAP surface measurements are coupled with hydrologic models to infer soil moisture conditions in the root zone.

These measurements enable science applications users to: SMAP observations are acquired for a period of at least three years after launch, and the 81 kg of propellant that it carries should allow the mission to operate well beyond its design lifetime.

In August 2015, scientists completed their initial calibration of the two instruments on board, however, SMAP's radar stopped transmitting 7 July due to an anomaly that was investigated by a team at JPL.

The combined active and passive measurement approach takes advantage of the spatial resolution of the radar and the sensing accuracy of the radiometer.

[8] The satellite carries two scientific instruments: a radar and a radiometer, that share a single feed and deployable 6 m reflector antenna system, built by Northrop Grumman,[1] that rotates around the nadir axis making conical scans of the surface.

[19] SMAP soil moisture and freeze-thaw information directly benefit several societal applications areas, including: Initialization of numerical weather prediction models and seasonal climate models with accurate soil moisture information extend forecast lead times and enhance prediction skill.