Names | Pre-Aerosol, Cloud, and ocean Ecosystem | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mission type | Remote sensing | ||||||||
Operator | NASA / GSFC | ||||||||
COSPAR ID | 2024-025A | ||||||||
SATCAT no. | 58928 | ||||||||
Website | pace | ||||||||
Mission duration | 3-10 years (planned) 9 months (in progress) | ||||||||
Spacecraft properties | |||||||||
Spacecraft | PACE | ||||||||
Manufacturer | Goddard Space Flight Center | ||||||||
Launch mass | 1,694 kg (3,735 lb) | ||||||||
Dimensions | 1.5 m × 1.5 m × 3.2 m (4 ft 11 in × 4 ft 11 in × 10 ft 6 in) | ||||||||
Power | 1000 watts | ||||||||
Start of mission | |||||||||
Launch date | 8 February 2024, 06:33 UTC[1][2] | ||||||||
Rocket | Falcon 9 Block 5 (B1081.4) | ||||||||
Launch site | Cape Canaveral, SLC‑40 | ||||||||
Contractor | SpaceX | ||||||||
Orbital parameters | |||||||||
Reference system | Geocentric orbit | ||||||||
Regime | Sun-synchronous orbit | ||||||||
Altitude | 676.5 km (420.4 mi) | ||||||||
Inclination | 98° | ||||||||
Period | 2-day global coverage 60° instrument view angle | ||||||||
Transponders | |||||||||
Band | S-Band: Command & Telemetry Ka-Band: Science Data | ||||||||
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PACE mission logo |
Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) is a 2020s NASA Earth-observing satellite mission to observe global ocean color, biogeochemistry, and ecology, as well as the carbon cycle, aerosols and clouds.[3] PACE is intended to be used to identify the extent and duration of phytoplankton blooms and improve understanding of air quality.[4] These and other uses of PACE data are expected to benefit the economy and society according to NASA, especially sectors that rely on water quality, fisheries and food security.[5]
Despite being proposed for cancellation under President Trump's FY 2018 budget, the program was funded by Congress in 2018.[6] The PACE project is managed by NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.[7] The main instrument and bus were designed and built at Goddard Space Flight Center.[8]
On 4 February 2020, NASA announced the selection of SpaceX to launch PACE on a Falcon 9, at a total cost to NASA of US$80.4 million, including the launch service and other mission-related costs.[9] The total cost of the mission is $964 million, which includes spacecraft construction, launch, and operations.[10] PACE successfully launched on 8 February 2024 at 06:33 UTC.[11] On 17 April 2024 it was announced that first operational data was received.[12]
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