NASA’s PACE mission is scheduled to launch in 2024. NASA will launch the Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, Ocean Ecosystem (PACE) mission, which aims to better understand the Earth’s atmosphere. Advanced polarimeters will be used to study the interactions of light, aerosols and clouds, thereby contributing to a deeper understanding of their impact on air quality and climate. Aerosols containing small particles such as smoke, dust and pollutants may seem inconspicuous, but they play an important role in influencing our climate by absorbing and scattering sunlight, thereby determining the amount of solar energy that reaches the Earth’s surface.
PACE Ocean Color Instrument (OCI).
The PACE mission not only analyzes aerosols, but also examines the color of the ocean. The Ocean Color Instrument (OCI), PACE’s flagship science instrument, is designed to measure ocean color across the spectrum from ultraviolet to shortwave infrared.
Advanced polarimetry: collaborative insights to achieve breakthrough discoveries
In addition, PACE will be equipped with two polarimeters – a spectropolarimeter for planetary research (SPEXone) and a hyperangle research polarimeter (HARP2). NASA explains that the collaboration between SPEXone and HARP2 will provide complementary spectral and angular sampling, polarimetric accuracy, and spatial coverage.
The goal of this combined effort is to offer better atmospheric corrections and a comprehensive set of aerosol and cloud science data beyond what can be achieved by OCI alone. NASA anticipates significant breakthroughs in aerosol, cloud, and ocean research with the synergistic payload of OCI, SPEXone, and HARP2.
Milestones on the PACE journey: from Goddard Space Flight Center to NASA Space Center. Kennedy
Earlier on Tuesday, November 14, NASA’s PACE spacecraft arrived at the Astrotech Spacecraft Operations facility near the NASA Space Center. Kennedy, Florida after completing the journey from the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.
To prepare ground equipment for disassembly and processing before final refueling and pressurization, engineers and technicians arrive ahead of the spacecraft. The PACE project is managed by the Space Flight Center. NASA’s Goddard Space Station, and the agency’s Launch Services Program, headquartered at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, are responsible for managing PACE launch services.
2023-12-14 15:44:19
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