A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched NASA's Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite from Vandenberg Space Force Base on Dec. 16, 2022.
The first stage of the rocket landed back at the base several minutes after liftoff.
NASA's Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite aims to map Earth's water in unprecedented detail to help manage climate change, and to share data openly to assist communities with managing the precious resource.
Credit: NASA
