NASA’s PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem) satellite represents a significant step forward in monitoring Earth’s ocean and climate science. Launched atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Florida’s Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on 8 February, 2024, at 12.03 pm IST (1.33 am EST), NASA’s new Earth-observing satellite PACE has been placed in a sun-synchronous orbit. The PACE mission will provide invaluable data to help scientists monitor climate change, improve air quality forecasting, and support sustainable fisheries and water resource management.
Separation confirmed—PACE is now flying free from its @SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
— NASA (@NASA) February 8, 2024
We’ll be #KeepingPACE with the @NASAEarth spacecraft throughout its mission as it studies our ocean and clouds. pic.twitter.com/dhPgQSuPCM
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Q: What is PACE?
PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem) is an Earth-observing satellite by NASA. It is 10.5-foot-long (3.2-meter-long) and is anticipated to operate for at least three years.
PACE will enhance our comprehension of the impacts of climate change on oceanic phytoplankton blooms. Additionally, it will unravel the complexities of how airborne particles, such as dust and smoke, play a role in cloud development and contribute to the Earth's heating and cooling processes.
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Q: Where will PACE be placed?
The PACE satellite will be placed in an orbit 420 miles (677 kilometres) above Earth, approximately 70% higher than the International Space Station’s orbit.
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Q: What are its objectives?
The primary mission of the PACE satellite is to advance the understanding of Earth's ocean and atmosphere interactions. It aims to monitor the health of our oceans by studying phytoplankton communities, the tiny plants that form the base of the aquatic food web, and their impact on carbon cycling.
Additionally, PACE will examine how aerosols and clouds influence Earth's climate, providing critical data for climate change research, air quality forecasting, and environmental policymaking.
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Q: What instruments will PACE carry?
The main scientific instruments onboard PACE include:
Ocean Color Instrument (OCI): This spectrometer measures light intensity across different parts of the electromagnetic spectrum, including ultraviolet (UV), visible, near-infrared, and several shortwave infrared wavelengths. The OCI's capability for continuous, high-resolution wavelength measurement surpasses that of previous NASA ocean colour sensors, offering in-depth insights into global ocean dynamics. Ocean colour is influenced by how sunlight interacts with materials or particles in the water, such as chlorophyll, the green pigment essential for photosynthesis in phytoplankton and terrestrial plants.
Multi-angle Polarimeters: These radiometers assess the polarization of sunlight, or how light's oscillation within a geometric plane is altered by its interaction with clouds, aerosols, and ocean surfaces. By analyzing the polarization states of light from UV to shortwave infrared at multiple angles, these instruments provide comprehensive data on atmospheric and oceanic conditions, including the size and composition of particles.
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Q: Why is studying phytoplankton important?
Studying phytoplankton is crucial because these microscopic organisms are the foundation of the aquatic food web, supporting a vast array of marine life, from small fish to large whales.
Phytoplankton also play a significant role in the carbon cycle by absorbing carbon dioxide during photosynthesis, which can affect global climate patterns. Monitoring changes in phytoplankton communities helps scientists predict the health of marine ecosystems and the impact of environmental changes on oceanic carbon sequestration.
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