News
NASA'S PACE Mission is Helping Scientists Understand Interactions Between Oceans, Atmosphere
news n'ne - A SpaceX Falcon 9 launched the PACE mission in February this year. After a brief commissioning period, the spacecraft has initiated operations. The data has started flowing in, allowing scientists to examine how the oceans and atmosphere interact with each other.
The Gulf of Oman in the Middle East
earth.com - NASA launched the PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem) satellite aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on February 8, 2024. The mission marks a significant advancement in our ability to study Earth’s oceanic and atmospheric systems. The PACE satellite is equipped with a state-of-the-art Ocean Color Instrument (OCI), designed to capture intricate details of ocean phenomena that are often invisible to the naked eye. This technology aims to provide new insights into the complex interactions between the ocean and the atmosphere.
NASA's PACE Satellite will Tackle the Largest Uncertainty in Climate Science
The Economist - Small things can have big effects. Take the plant plankton that populate the Earth’s oceans. When zooplankton eat them, the phytoplankton release a chemical called dimethyl sulphide (DMS) and it is this that people are referring to when they speak of the “smell of the sea". Chemical reactions in the atmosphere turn DMS into sulphur-containing particles that offer a surface for water vapour to condense on. Do that enough times and the result is a cloud. Clouds, in turn, affect both the local weather and, by reflecting sunlight into space, the world’s climate.
NASA Satellite Monitors Ocean Health
Richomd Times - As the world’s oceans have moved into their 12th consecutive month as the warmest on record, a new National Aeronautics and Space Administration Earth-observing satellite mission has come online. It will monitor the ocean health and particulates in the atmosphere.
Advancing Ocean Science with "Trailblazing" PACE Mission
USF News - From the air to sea, small things can have big impacts on our planet.
Aquatic microorganisms known as phytoplankton serve as photosynthesizing powerhouses, producing more than half of Earth’s oxygen. Aerosols — often-invisible particles suspended in the atmosphere — can have significant influence on Earth’s climate, weather, public health, and ecology.
Maryland Team on NASA Project to Examine Ocean, Atmosphere
The Baltimore Banner - To better understand the ocean surface, NASA scientists went to the stars.
The Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) satellite launched into orbit on Feb. 8 on a quest to better understand the microscopic content of Earth’s atmosphere and oceans.
“This mission is really the search for the invisible,” NASA Project Scientist Jeremy Werdell told Capital News Service.
Two Maryland teams — from NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County — and a team from the Netherlands Institute for Space Research and Airbus Netherlands B.V., each worked on one of the three instruments on the satellite.
Celebrating Earth Day with NASA
WSAZ - For more information about NASA’s Earth science missions and research, check out: nasa.gov/earth and @NASAEarth on social media.
For more about the PACE mission, click here: nasa.gov/pace
All About NASA's Newest Earth-observing Satellite Pace
KHOU11 - Though every day is Earth Day at NASA, this year they are focusing on oceans and telling us about the newest Pace satellite.
NASA Satellite to Help with Algae and Hurricane Forecasting
First Coast News - NASA is studying our oceans through their newest satellite called PACE, which stands for Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud and ocean Ecosystem.Since launching in February, it’s been tracking aerosols."The reason for that is multiple issues that impact the climate, impacts air quality, but also aerosol particles are the nuclei for forming clouds," said Dr. Amir Ibrahim, a PACE Ocean Scientist. "So cloud particles basically form around these aerosol particles."
NASA Studies Earth's Oceans and Atmosphere with New PACE Satellite
WBAY - GREEN BAY, Wis. (WBAY) - Monday marks the annual observance of Earth Day, a day dedicated to our big blue marble was inspired in part by Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson back in 1969 and first observed on April 22, 1970.
NASA is beginning to bring in information from this satellite, PACE, which was launched just two months ago. PACE stands for Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, and Ocean Ecosystem and it was designed to detect particles in the ocean and air to help understand climate change.
This Week @NASA: New Partners to the Artemis Accords, Altitude Chamber Upgrade, PACE Satellite
SciTechDaily - TWAN More partners in space exploration …
New data measuring ocean health, air quality, and our climate …
And an upgrade to testing facilities for Artemis II …A few of the stories to tell you about – This Week at NASA!
Earth Day Media Briefing: NASA Unveils New Elements of Climate Research
NASA - Live from our Headquarters in Washington, we’re hosting a media briefing ahead of Earth Day 2024 to share information about NASA's climate research. We'll discuss new airborne science flights, our latest Earth science strategy, and to share data from our newest Earth-observing satellite, PACE, which stands for Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, and Ocean Ecosystem. Participants • Bill Nelson, NASA Administrator https://www.nasa.gov/people/nasa-admi... • Dr. Karen St. Germain, division director, NASA Earth Sciences Division https://science.nasa.gov/people/karen... • Tom Wagner, associate director for Earth Action https://appliedsciences.nasa.gov/abou...
NASA Invites Media for Climate Update, New Earth Missions
NASA - In anticipation of Earth Day, NASA invites media to a briefing at the agency’s headquarters on Friday, April 19, at 11 a.m. EDT. The event will share updates on NASA’s climate science and early data from the agency’s ocean-watching PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem) mission, as well as reveal upcoming Earth airborne missions.
NASA's Near Space Network Enables PACE Climate Mission to Phone Home
NASA - The PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem) mission has delivered its first operational data back to researchers, a feat made possible in part by innovative, data-storing technology from NASA’s Near Space Network, which introduced two key enhancements for PACE and other upcoming science missions.
The Ocean Touches Everything: Celebrate Earth Day with NASA
NASA - On Earth Day, Learn How NASA Investigates the Blue in Our Blue Planet
This Earth Day, join us in person and online to learn how NASA studies the ocean from space. Explore the complex connections between sea, air, land, and climate through a mix of in-person and virtual activities, talks, and trivia.
NASA's New Satellite Unveils First Data on Ocean Health and Climate Change
Space Daily - NASA's newest Earth-observing satellite, the Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE), has begun distributing science-quality data essential for studying ocean health, air quality, and climate change effects. Launched on February 8, PACE underwent extensive in-orbit testing to ensure its instruments function correctly. The public can now access this data through the dedicated portal.
First Data from UMBC's HARP2 Instrument on NASA PACE Mission Goes Public
UMBC News - Data from NASA’s newest Earth-observing satellite, which will provide insight into ocean health, air quality, and the effects of a changing climate, are now available. The Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) satellite launched on February 8, and after several subsequent weeks of testing of the spacecraft and instruments, the mission is gathering data that the public can access.
NASA's PACE Data on Ocean, Atmosphere, Climate Now Available
NASA - NASA is now publicly distributing science-quality data from its newest Earth-observing satellite, providing first-of-their-kind measurements of ocean health, air quality, and the effects of a changing climate.
Pioneers Utilizing NASA's PACE Satellite for Air Quality and Marine Health Investigations
UBJ - Ahead of its planned launch in February 2024, NASA mission officials have been working with a diverse group of applied scientists and environmental experts, gearing up for the vast array of benefits that PACE data is expected to bring to applied real-world scenarios. The Early Adopter program of PACE is an initiative designed to incorporate scientific findings into commercial, environmental, and policy-making endeavors, all aimed at societal advancement.
Early Adopters of NASA's PACE Data to Study Air Quality, Ocean Health
NASA - From the atmosphere down to the surface of the ocean, data from NASA’s PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem) satellite benefits ecosystems, human health, and underrepresented communities.
Years before the launch in February 2024, mission leaders from NASA teamed with dozens of applied scientists and environmental professionals to prepare for the many practical uses that could be informed by PACE data. PACE’s Early Adopter program integrates science data into business, environmental management, and decision-making activities to benefit society.
Why This NASA Satellite is Studying Plankton
Science Friday - Did you know you can see plankton … from space? Earlier this year, NASA launched a satellite to do exactly that. It’s called PACE, which stands for Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, and ocean Ecosystem, and NASA hopes that the satellite can tell us more about how these tiny creatures interact with Earth’s atmosphere and influence our climate.Some species of plankton, called phytoplankton, are microscopic plants that absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen. PACE has equipment that can identify different species of phytoplankton by the kind of light they give off, giving NASA real-time information about their location and population size, which can also aid fisheries and coastal communities when algal blooms occur.
Get Ready to Work with PACE Data
NASA - PACE's cutting-edge technology will reveal new insights into our ocean, atmosphere and climate. To help you engage with PACE data, we have created a list of key resources. Icons indicate the resource type and time commitment to fully engage with that resource.
Climate Models Can't Explain 2023's Huge Heat Anomaly
Nature - When I took over as the director of NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies, I inherited a project that tracks temperature changes since 1880. Using this trove of data, I’ve made climate predictions at the start of every year since 2016. It’s humbling, and a bit worrying, to admit that no year has confounded climate scientists’ predictive capabilities more than 2023 has.
News From a Changing Planet: Seeing Algae From Space
PrintMag - Something impossible to see with the naked eye: phytoplankton. Something newly possible to see from space: phytoplankton.
Earlier this month, NASA launched a new satellite, PACE (which stands for Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem), which will measure the presence, concentration, and types of phytoplankton in bodies of water around the world (as well as those other initialisms in the name) from the comfortable distance of Earth’s orbit.
Preparing for PACE Data
NASA EarthDATA - When NASA's Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PAC) satellite launched into space on February 8, 2024, the team was excited for the spacecraft to begin its mission. This is not only because the endeavor was more than a decade in the making and critical for understanding Earth's ocean, atmosphere, and climate change. The team was also ready for launch knowing they had expertly prepared themselves by using simulated data to test and practice using PACE's sensors and data systems to ensure that global data users would get the quality science data they need.
UMaine Scientists Aid NASA Mission to Study Climate Impact on Oceans
UMaine News - On Feb. 8, Emmanuel Boss watched via livestream from Maine as 15 years of work culminated in a satellite launching into space aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Appearing as if enveloped in a ball of fire, the satellite jetted upward through the dark sky. It was 1:33 a.m.
“The vehicle continues to perform phenomenally. All nine engines firing,” the launch host said to the crowd gathered at Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The voices of awed observers mingled with the rumble of the rocket until, finally, it faded from view.
NASA's PACE Mission: Investigating Climate Change and Ocean Health from Space
Medriva - Recently, NASA's Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) satellite mission was successfully launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The spacecraft was propelled into orbit by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, marking a significant step forward in our fight against climate change and our quest for understanding the Earth’s ecosystem. The PACE mission is a groundbreaking initiative that aims to study the effects of climate change on phytoplankton, a key player in the global carbon cycle and ecosystem processes.
How NASA is Keeping PACE with Climate Change
Forbes - As a former scientist at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, I still get very excited with the successful launch of a mission focused on Planet Earth. Unfortunately, NASA’s robust Earth Sciences program and its missions often do not get the same attention as past shuttle launches, large telescopes or Mars rovers. I cannot tell you how many times this research meteorologist was asked if I supported launches or knew any astronauts. That’s why I often use this platform to broaden the narrative. Let’s talk about NASA’s Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) satellite mission.
Optical Tech from NH May Help NASA Find Algal Blooms
NH Business Review - A satellite with New Hampshire-made optical components that help detect microscopic ocean plankton and aerosol particles that may inform climate change is in space as of earlier this month.
Engineers at the Corning Advanced Optics plant in Keene used their foundational expertise from earlier work with private space firms and NASA to help build crucial parts of the federal space agency’s PACE satellite, which launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Feb. 8 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket after a weather delay.
People of PACE: Amir Ibrahim Understands the Atmosphere to Study the Ocean
NASA GSFC - Amir Ibrahim is the PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem) project science lead for atmospheric correction at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.