PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem) mission
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| PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem) mission | |
|---|---|
| Name | PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem) mission |
| Operator | National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center |
| Mission type | Earth observation |
| Launch date | May 2024 |
| Status | Active |
| Spacecraft bus | NASA Earth science satellite bus |
| Instruments | Ocean Color Instrument (OCI), SPEXone, HARP2 |
PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem) mission The PACE mission is a NASA Earth science satellite designed to advance understanding of phytoplankton, atmospheric aerosol, cloud properties, and ocean biogeochemistry by delivering hyperspectral radiometry and polarimetry. It supports research across communities involved with oceanography, climatology, ecology, remote sensing and operational programs such as NOAA and international partners including European Space Agency and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency.
Mission Overview
PACE is an Earth-observing mission conceived to measure spectral radiance and polarized light from the ocean and atmosphere with unprecedented spectral resolution and global coverage. The mission carries instruments that together enable global mapping of ocean color, aerosol microphysical properties, and cloud optical characteristics, informing work by Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, United Nations Environment Programme, World Meteorological Organization, and research centers at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory, Plymouth Marine Laboratory, and CSIRO. PACE data complements long-standing satellite programs such as MODIS, VIIRS, SeaWiFS, Sentinel-3, OCO-2, and Landsat in multi-decadal Earth system records used by NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, NASA Earth Science Division, and global modeling groups at NCAR and GFDL.
Scientific Objectives
Primary objectives target quantitative retrievals of marine phytoplankton functional types, particulate organic carbon, and harmful algal bloom indicators through hyperspectral measurements, advancing studies at Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, and National Oceanography Centre. Aerosol objectives aim to retrieve aerosol optical depth, size distributions, and refractive index to better constrain aerosol radiative forcing assessed by IPCC, Hadley Centre, and European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts modeling studies. Cloud objectives seek improved cloud droplet effective radius, phase discrimination, and cloud top microphysics to reduce uncertainties in cloud feedbacks examined by NOAA Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and climate model intercomparison projects such as CMIP6. Cross-disciplinary goals support carbon-cycle assessments linked to the Global Carbon Project, ocean fertilization hypotheses examined since Charles Darwin, and ecosystem impacts studied by institutions like Smithsonian Institution and Royal Society collaborators.
Spacecraft and Instrumentation
The spacecraft hosts the Ocean Color Instrument (OCI), a hyperspectral radiometer covering ultraviolet to near-infrared bands, designed following heritage from MODIS and SeaWiFS teams at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and built with contributions from industrial partners including Ball Aerospace and Boeing. Polarimeter instruments SPEXone and HARP2 provide multi-angle polarization measurements with technological input from SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research and instrument teams with links to European Space Agency missions such as EarthCARE and Sentinel-3. Instrument calibration strategies leverage traceability practices used in Landsat Science Research and Development, laboratory standards from National Institute of Standards and Technology, and vicarious calibration sites coordinated with AERONET operated by NASA Goddard and NASA Ames Research Center. The bus integrates attitude control, power, and thermal systems developed with expertise from Jet Propulsion Laboratory, NASA Kennedy Space Center launch operations, and mission planning influenced by Hubble Space Telescope and Aqua (satellite) operations.
Mission Operations and Data Products
PACE operations are managed by NASA Goddard Space Flight Center with mission planning and data processing pipelines drawing on architectures used by MODIS, VIIRS, and ICESat-2 for Level 0–4 product delivery. Primary data products include hyperspectral water-leaving radiance, global aerosol optical properties, polarized reflectance, and derived geophysical parameters such as chlorophyll concentration, phytoplankton functional types, particulate organic carbon, and spectral inherent optical properties. Data dissemination uses mechanisms employed by Earthdata and supports assimilation into models at NOAA ESRL, European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, NASA Global Modeling and Assimilation Office, and regional services including Australian Bureau of Meteorology and Korea Meteorological Administration. Community tools and validation campaigns involve partners such as International Ocean Colour Coordinating Group, PANGAEA, MBARI, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and autonomous assets like Argo floats and Bio-Argo platforms.
Key Findings and Impact
Early PACE results refine estimates of global primary productivity used by the Global Carbon Project and inform assessments presented to Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change authors and working groups. Improved aerosol characterization reduces uncertainties in radiative forcing metrics reported by IPCC assessments and improves air-quality forecasting at agencies including EPA and NOAA. Better discrimination of plankton functional types has supported fisheries scientists at National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries and conservationists at The Nature Conservancy in habitat assessments. PACE-derived cloud microphysical constraints contribute to model development at Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory and international model intercomparison initiatives coordinated through World Climate Research Programme.
Development and Launch History
PACE was developed through a collaboration led by NASA with major contributions from NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, instrument teams across the United States and Europe, and industrial partners including Ball Aerospace and Raytheon Technologies. The mission built on decades of satellite ocean color heritage from SeaWiFS, MODIS, and VIIRS, and polarimetry advances pursued in POLDER and PARASOL projects. Launch preparations involved integration and testing in facilities at Kennedy Space Center with mission milestones coordinated with United States Department of Defense range operations and international calibration/validation agreements involving institutions such as Scripps Institution of Oceanography and Plymouth Marine Laboratory. Since launch, PACE operations continue to expand collaborations with research networks including AERONET, Argo, SOCCOM, and global synthesis efforts at International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme and Future Earth.