NASA launches Pace to study Earth's oceans, atmosphere

NASA's Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (Pace) mission soared into orbit aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from the Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Thursday.

NASA's Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (Pace) mission soared into orbit aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from the Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Thursday.

The Pace mission is a step forward in the study of Earth's oceans, air quality, and climate change. Within minutes of its ascent, NASA confirmed that it had received a signal from the satellite, indicating that PACE was performing as expected.

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson expressed his congratulations to the PACE team for the flawless launch. He highlighted the mission's significance, stating that PACE will enhance our understanding of how atmospheric particles and oceanic processes contribute to global warming.