NASA’s PACE Mission Faces Another Launch Delay Due to Weather Challenges

NASAEstablished in 1958, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is an independent agency of the United States Federal Government that succeeded the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA). It is responsible for the civilian space program, as well as aeronautics and aerospace research. Its vision is "To discover and expand knowledge for the benefit of humanity." Its core values are "safety, integrity, teamwork, excellence, and inclusion." NASA conducts research, develops technology and launches missions to explore and study Earth, the solar system, and the universe beyond. It also works to advance the state of knowledge in a wide range of scientific fields, including Earth and space science, planetary science, astrophysics, and heliophysics, and it collaborates with private companies and international partners to achieve its goals.” data-gt-translate-attributes=”[{“attribute”:”data-cmtooltip”, “format”:”html”}]” tabindex=”0″ role=”link”>NASA and SpaceXCommonly known as SpaceX, Space Exploration Technologies Corp. is a private American aerospace manufacturer and space transport services company that was founded by Elon Musk in 2002. Headquartered in Hawthorne, California, the company designs, manufactures, and launches advanced rockets and spacecraft. SpaceX's ultimate goal is to reduce space transportation costs and enable the colonization of Mars.” data-gt-translate-attributes=”[{“attribute”:”data-cmtooltip”, “format”:”html”}]” tabindex=”0″ role=”link”>SpaceX are standing down from the Wednesday, February 7, launch of the agency’s Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) mission due to ground winds preventing prelaunch checkouts. Previously, the launch was targeted for February 6, but that was scrubbed due to unfavorable weather conditions.

The team is targeting liftoff at 1:33 a.m. ESTEST is an abbreviation for Eastern Standard Time, the time zone for the eastern coast of the United States and Canada when observing standard time (autumn/winter). It is five hours behind Coordinated Universal Time. New York City, Washington, D.C., Boston, and the Kennedy Space Center are in the Eastern Time Zone (ET).” data-gt-translate-attributes=”[{“attribute”:”data-cmtooltip”, “format”:”html”}]” tabindex=”0″ role=”link”>EST on Thursday, February 8, on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

The satellite and rocket remain healthy and ready for launch.

Live launch coverage will begin on NASA+ and NASA TV public channel at 12:45 a.m. EST on February 8.

NASA’s PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem) spacecraft in orbit over Earth. Credit: NASA GSFC

The Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) mission is a NASA initiative designed to advance our understanding of Earth’s ocean and atmosphere interactions. The mission’s primary objective is to monitor global ocean color, aerosols, clouds, and the marine ecosystem from space. By employing a highly advanced set of instruments, including a wide-spectral range ocean color sensor, PACE will enable scientists to study the diversity of phytoplankton in the ocean. These tiny plant-like organisms are foundational to the ocean food web and play a crucial role in carbon cycling and the Earth’s climate.

PACE aims to provide unprecedented insights into ocean ecological dynamics, air quality, and cloud interactions with aerosols, 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 the management of coastal and ocean resources. By enhancing our knowledge of the Earth’s oceans and atmosphere, the PACE mission seeks to contribute significantly to environmental preservation and the sustainability of our planet.