The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX) will launch the agency's Plankton, Aerosols, Clouds and Ocean Ecosystems (PACE) mission on Wednesday, February 7, local time, due to high winds on the ground hampering pre-launch inspections. The launch was originally scheduled for February 6, but was canceled due to adverse weather conditions.
The facility is scheduled to lift off on Thursday, February 8, at 1:33 a.m. ET on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Station in Florida.
The satellite and rocket are still healthy and ready for launch as soon as the weather improves. At 12:45 a.m. Eastern Time on February 8, NASA+ and NASATV public channels will begin broadcasting the launch process live.
The Plankton, Aerosols, Clouds, and Ocean Ecosystems (PACE) mission is a National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) initiative designed to advance our understanding of the interactions of Earth's oceans and atmosphere. The mission's main goal is to monitor global ocean color, aerosols, clouds and marine ecosystems from space. By using a suite of highly advanced instruments, including a wide spectral range ocean color sensor, PACE will allow scientists to study the diversity of phytoplankton in the ocean. These tiny, plant-like organisms are the foundation of the ocean's food web and play a vital role in the carbon cycle and Earth's climate.
The goal of PACE is to provide unprecedented insights into ocean ecological dynamics, air quality, and cloud-aerosol interactions, all of which are critical to improving our understanding of Earth's climate system and environmental health. The data collected will support a variety of applications, including climate research, air quality forecasting, and coastal and marine resource management. By enhancing our understanding of Earth's oceans and atmosphere, the Computing Equipment Action Partnership mission seeks to make significant contributions to environmental protection and the sustainable development of our planet.
Compiled source: ScitechDaily