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    Why the PACE team is nocturnal this week

    Centered in the image is a rocket, mid-launch. The launch is taking place at night, so all around the rocket and it's stand is black. The only light is coming from the fire emerging from the bottom of the rocket in an orange glowing color, illuminating a cloud of smoke coming from the rocket as well.

    Editor's note, Feb. 6, 2024: NASA and SpaceX stood down from PACE's Feb. 6 launch attempt due to unfavorable weather conditions. Launch is now targeted for 1:33 a.m. EST Wednesday, Feb. 7. Editor's note, Feb. 7, 2024: NASA and SpaceX stood down from PACE's Feb. 7 launch attempt due to unfavorable weather conditions. Launch is …

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    Weather 40% Favorable for Tuesday PACE Mission Launch

    A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with NASA's PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem) spacecraft encapsulated atop is raised to a vertical position at Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Monday, Feb. 5, 2024. PACE is NASA's newest earth-observing satellite that will help increase our understanding of Earth's oceans, atmosphere, and climate by delivering hyperspectral observations of microscopic marine organisms called phytoplankton as well new data on clouds and aerosols. Liftoff of the PACE mission is set for no earlier than 1:33 a.m. EST on Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2024.

    Launch weather officers with Cape Canaveral Space Force Station's 45th Weather Squadron predict a 40% chance of favorable weather conditions for the launch of NASA's PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem) mission at 1:33 a.m. EST Tuesday, Feb. 6, on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station …

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    PACE ‘Go’ for Launch, NASA Prelaunch News Conference Next

    A PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem) mission and prelaunch news conference takes place at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Monday, Feb. 5, 2024. Participants, from left to right are: Derrol Nail, NASA Communications; Jim Free, NASA associate administrator; Karen St. Germain, Earth Science Division director, NASA Headquarters; Tim Dunn, senior launch director, Launch Services Program, NASA's Kennedy; Julianna Scheiman, director Civil Satellite Missions, SpaceX; and Brian Cizek, launch weather officer, 45th Weather Squadron, U.S. Space Force.

    NASA will host a prelaunch news conference today, Feb. 5, at 9 a.m. EST, to discuss the agency's PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem) mission. This follows the NASA and SpaceX launch readiness review Sunday, Feb. 4, resulting in a "go" for launch. Participants for the briefing include: Jim Free, NASA associate administrator Karen St. …

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    Trivia All About NASA’s Next Earth-Observing Satellite

    Two children stand in the foreground of the image facing away from the camera. They are looking at a screen in front of them. To their right is a woman with blue and purple hair pointing to the screen. On the screen are several blurry blobs - phytoplankton - which are being displayed from the microscope, seen between the heads of the two children.

    I'll take "All About PACE" for 300, please. While not exactly like "Jeopardy!", PACE trivia is just as fun – and often as challenging! To prepare for the upcoming launch of the Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) satellite, PACE team members, friends and family gathered on Feb. 4 for an afternoon of facts, food, …

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    Science Briefing on Tap Ahead of NASA’s PACE Mission Launch

    A SpaceX Falcon 9 payload fairing with artwork of NASA's PACE mission.

    Officials from NASA will discuss the agency's PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem) mission during a science briefing at 11 a.m. EST today, Feb. 4. The briefing will air live on NASA+. NASA participants include: Kate Calvin, chief scientist and senior climate advisor Karen St. Germain, director, Earth Science Division Jeremy Werdell, PACE project scientist Andy Sayer, …

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    Encapsulated PACE Spacecraft Transported to Launch Pad

    NASA's PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem) spacecraft is one step closer to launch. Workers transported the spacecraft to SpaceX's hangar at Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Thursday, Feb. 1, for payload integration to the Falcon 9 rocket supporting this mission. Prior to transport, PACE was …

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    Teams Hold Flight Readiness Review for NASA’s PACE Mission

    A SpaceX Falcon 9 payload fairing with artwork of NASA's PACE mission.

    NASA, SpaceX, and PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem) mission managers met today, Thursday, Feb. 1, to conduct a Flight Readiness Review at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. During the review, teams provided an update on the mission status and certified the readiness to initiate final launch preparation activities. Once launched, PACE will …

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    PACE Spacecraft Encapsulated in Payload Fairing

    NASA's PACE spacecraft encapsulated in SpaceX Falcon 9 payload fairing halves.

    NASA's PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem) spacecraft is now safely encapsulated in SpaceX's Falcon 9 payload fairings. The fairing halves protect the spacecraft from aerodynamic pressure and heating during the ascent phase of launch. Approximately three minutes after liftoff, the halves are jettisoned and return to Earth. Upcoming milestones for PACE include payload integration …

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    People of PACE: Fred Huemmrich Plants the Seeds of Inspiration

    The image is a selfie of a bearded man seen from the shoulders up. He is wearing a dark green zip-up jacket, and also has glasses on. Behind him are scientific instruments, which look like long metal rods standing up as well as some buckets. In the far background is a grassy field and a clear blue sky.

    Fred Huemmrich is a member of NASA's Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) science and applications team and a research professor at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. What is your favorite atmosphere, land, or ocean related book or movie? "Dune." To be specific, I really liked the appendix of Dune which has the story …

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    NASA’s PACE Spacecraft Mated to Payload Adapter

    NASA's PACE spacecraft is fitted to the payload adapter.

    NASA and SpaceX technicians connected NASA's PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem) spacecraft to the payload adapter on Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2024, at the Astrotech Space Operations Facility near the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Now that PACE is securely attached to the payload adapter, teams will encapsulate the spacecraft inside the protective payload fairings …

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