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NASA\u2019s satellite mission to study ocean health, air quality, and the effects of a changing climate for the benefit of humanity launched successfully into orbit at 1:33 a.m. EST Thursday. <\/p>\n
Known as PACE, the Plankton, Aerosol, Climate, ocean Ecosystem satellite, launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. NASA confirmed signal acquisition from the satellite about five minutes after launch, and the spacecraft is performing as expected.<\/p>\n
\u201cCongratulations to the PACE team on a successful launch. With this new addition to NASA\u2019s fleet of Earth-observing satellites, PACE will help us learn, like never before, how particles in our atmosphere and our oceans can identify key factors impacting global warming,\u201d said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. \u201cMissions like this are supporting the Biden-Harris Administration\u2019s climate agenda and helping us answer urgent questions about our changing climate.\u201d<\/p>\n
From hundreds of miles above Earth, the PACE mission will study the impact of tiny, often invisible things: microscopic life in water and microscopic particles in the air.<\/p>\n
The satellite\u2019s hyperspectral ocean color instrument will allow researchers to measure oceans and other waterbodies across a spectrum of ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared light. This will enable scientists to track the distribution of phytoplankton and \u2013 for the first time from space \u2013 identify which communities of these organisms are present on daily, global scales. Scientists and coastal resource managers can use the data to help forecast the health of fisheries, track harmful algal blooms, and identify changes in the marine environment.<\/p>\n
The spacecraft also carries two polarimeter instruments, Hyper-Angular Rainbow Polarimeter #2 and Spectro-polarimeter\u00a0for Planetary Exploration. These will detect how sunlight interacts with particles in the atmosphere, giving researchers new information on atmospheric aerosols and cloud properties, as well as air quality at local, regional, and global scales.<\/p>\n
With the combination of the instrument and the polarimeters, PACE will provide insights into the interactions of the ocean and atmosphere, and how a changing climate affects these interactions.<\/p>\n
\u201cObservations and scientific research from PACE will profoundly advance our knowledge of the ocean\u2019s role in the climate cycle,\u201d said Karen St. Germain, director, Earth Science Division, Science Mission Directorate, at NASA Headquarters in Washington. \u201cThe value of PACE data skyrockets when we combine it with data and science from our Surface Water and Ocean Topography mission \u2013<\/a> ushering in a new era of ocean science. As an open-source science mission with early adopters ready to use its research and data, PACE will accelerate our understanding of the Earth system and help NASA deliver actionable science, data, and practical applications to help our coastal communities and industries address rapidly evolving challenges.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s been an honor to work with the PACE team and witness firsthand their dedication and tenacity in overcoming challenges, including the global pandemic, to make this observatory a reality,\u201d said Marjorie Haskell, PACE program executive at NASA Headquarters. \u201cThe passion and teamwork are matched only by the excitement of the science community for the data this new satellite will provide.\u201d<\/p>\n Earth\u2019s oceans are responding in many ways to climate change \u2013 from sea level rise to marine heat waves to a loss of biodiversity. With PACE, researchers will be able to study climate change\u2019s effects on phytoplankton, which play a key role in the global carbon cycle by absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and converting it into their cellular material. These tiny organisms drive larger aquatic and global ecosystems that provide critical resources for food security, recreation, and the economy.<\/p>\n \u201cAfter 20 years of thinking about this mission, it\u2019s exhilarating to watch it finally realized and to witness its launch. I couldn\u2019t be prouder or more appreciative of our PACE team,\u201d said Jeremy Werdell, PACE project scientist at NASA\u2019s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. \u201cThe opportunities PACE will offer are so exciting, and we\u2019re going to be able to use these incredible technologies in ways we haven\u2019t yet anticipated. It\u2019s truly a mission of discovery.\u201d<\/p>\n NASA\u2019s Launch Services Program, based at the agency\u2019s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, managed the launch services for the mission. The PACE mission is managed by NASA Goddard, which also built and tested the spacecraft and the ocean color instrument. The Hyper-Angular Rainbow Polarimeter #2 was designed and built by the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and the Spectro-polarimeter\u00a0for Planetary Exploration was developed and built by a Dutch consortium led by Netherlands Institute for Space Research, Airbus Defence, and Space Netherlands.<\/p>\n For more information on PACE, visit:<\/p>\n https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/pace<\/a><\/p>\n -end-<\/p>\n Faith McKie \/ Karen Fox Jake Richmond Powered by WPeMatico<\/a><\/small><\/p>\n Get The Details…<\/a> NASA\u2019s satellite mission to study ocean health, air quality, and the effects of a changing climate for the benefit of humanity launched successfully into orbit at 1:33 a.m. EST Thursday. Known as PACE, the Plankton, Aerosol, Climate, ocean Ecosystem satellite, launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral [\u2026] Continue reading
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600 \/ 240-285-5155
faith.d.mckie@nasa.gov<\/a> \/ karen.c.fox@nasa.gov<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
240-713-1618
jacob.a.richmond@nasa.gov<\/a><\/p>\n
\nJennifer M. Dooren <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"