A novel NASA expedition embarks on a journey to explore the “unseen cosmos” within our own planet.
A groundbreaking satellite poised to revolutionize our understanding of Earth’s microscopic marine life and minuscule atmospheric particles has been successfully launched.
The NASA PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, and Ocean Ecosystem) mission took off at 1:33 a.m. ET Thursday aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The rocket’s booster safely returned to Earth about 10 minutes later. Within just over half an hour of liftoff, the team confirmed that the spacecraft’s solar arrays had deployed and were generating power.
Originally scheduled for Tuesday morning, the launch faced two delays due to high winds and cumulus clouds. However, conditions were highly favorable, with over 95% probability for launch success on Thursday morning.
The roots of the PACE mission stretch back about 20 years, when scientists first conceived a means to gain deeper insights into how oceanic and atmospheric processes shape our planet, according to Jeremy Werdell, PACE project scientist.
This mission promises to illuminate the roles of aerosols, clouds, and phytoplankton in indicating ocean health and climate change. Equipped with three cutting-edge instruments including two polarimeters and a camera, PACE will capture a wealth of data across various wavelengths of light, enabling observations never before possible, as described by Karen St. Germain, director of NASA’s Earth Science Division.
Jeremy Werdell further emphasized the significance of PACE in uncovering the microscopic and often unseen realms within the sea, sky, and land.
While initially designed as a three-year endeavor, PACE boasts enough fuel for up to a decade of orbiting and Earth observation. Joining a cadre of over two dozen NASA Earth science missions, PACE will contribute to a comprehensive understanding of Earth’s climate dynamics through its scrutiny of oceans, land, ice, and atmosphere.
PACE, along with the international Surface Water and Ocean Topography mission (SWOT), launched in 2022, holds the potential to redefine scientific comprehension of Earth’s oceans.
NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy highlighted the urgency of the current climate crisis, emphasizing NASA’s role in leveraging space-based observations to provide essential data for informed decision-making on climate mitigation and adaptation.
In January, NASA, alongside other agencies, confirmed 2023 as the hottest year on record, underscoring a decade-long trend of global warming, noted Kate Calvin, chief scientist and senior climate advisor at NASA.
This warming trend, largely driven by greenhouse gas emissions like carbon dioxide, underscores the importance of understanding carbon exchange between the ocean and atmosphere—a task PACE is uniquely positioned to address.
In addition to greenhouse gases, aerosol particles in the atmosphere play a significant role in Earth’s climate system. These particles, comprising pollutants, dust, smoke, and sea salt, can influence cloud formation and sunlight absorption, thus impacting weather patterns and air quality, according to Andy Sayer, PACE atmospheric scientist.
The PACE mission aims to map Earth’s oceans and atmospheric aerosols with unprecedented detail. By detecting and characterizing phytoplankton—the microscopic organisms fundamental to marine ecosystems—from space, PACE will provide invaluable insights into ocean biology, according to St. Germain.
Phytoplankton, responsible for approximately 50% of Earth’s oxygen production, serve as the cornerstone of marine food webs. However, certain species can trigger harmful algal blooms, posing risks to marine life and human health. PACE’s observations will aid in monitoring and understanding these phenomena, aiding in future prevention efforts.
In summary, PACE represents a significant leap forward in our ability to comprehend Earth’s complex interconnected systems, from the vast expanses of our oceans to the intricacies of our atmosphere, providing critical data to address pressing environmental challenges.
