ISTANBUL: In a successful liftoff early Thursday, SpaceX launched NASA’s nearly US$1 billion PACE satellite to monitor the health of the planet, from oceans to atmosphere, offering crucial data for understanding and combating climate change.

Despite facing multiple cancellation threats, the United States (US) space agency said that PACE’s liftoff was secured by soaring on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, Anadolu Agency reported.

PACE is now on its way to a precise orbit where it will begin its observations above the International Space Station.

It will collect data on aerosols and clouds, scanning Earth every two days to analyse their chemical composition, movement, and interactions.

NASA’s PACE mission aims to explore Earth’s environment by studying ocean health, atmospheric conditions, and ecosystems.

It will monitor plankton, aerosols, clouds, and oceanic conditions to better understand their interactions and influence on the planet’s climate and overall health.

Scientists anticipate that PACE data will provide crucial insights into the effects of aerosols on cloud formation and differentiate between various cloud types. Understanding these factors is vital for interpreting climate changes and air quality shifts, said NASA.

In addition, data from PACE’s polarimeters will enhance climate models by providing more accurate atmospheric information, replacing current estimates with direct measurements.

The new polarimetry data will also provide real-time insights into air pollution. –Bernama