At 14:33 on February 8, 2024, the Falcon 9 carrier rocket carrying the PACE large Earth observation satellite was launched from the SLC-40 station of Cape Canaveral Space Force Base in Florida, and sent the satellite to an altitude of 676 12 minutes and 27 seconds after ignitionA sun-synchronous orbit of 5 km with an inclination of 98 degrees (nominal orbital parameters).
Schematic diagram of the PACE satellite.
The PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Climate, Ocean Ecosystem) large Earth observation satellite is owned by NASA and developed and tested by the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) of NASA. OCI) and the Spectro-Polarimeter for Planetary Exploration (SPEXONE) and the Hyper Angular Research Polarimeter (HARP2), of which the Ocean Water Color Meter (OCI) was developed by the Goddard Space Flight Center, The planetary sounding spectropolarimeter was developed by a Dutch consortium led by the Netherlands Institute for Space Research, Airbus Defence and Space Netherlands. Baltimore County.
Schematic diagram of the Planetary Exploration Spectropolarimeter (SPEXONE).
PACE satellite size 15 m x 15 m x 32 meters, the filling mass does not exceed 1700 kg, the power is 1000 watts, the command and telemetry use the S-band, and the scientific data transmission uses the Ka-band. The resolution of the lowest point of the Oceanochromator (OCI) is 1 km, and the resolution of the Planetary Exploration Spectropolarimeter (SPEXONE) is 25 km, HARP2 resolution 3 km.
The Ocean Water Color Meter (OCI) will enable researchers to measure oceans and other water bodies through ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared spectroscopy. This will allow scientists to track the distribution of phytoplankton and, for the first time, determine from space which communities of these organisms are normalized on a global scale. Two polarimeters will examine how sunlight interacts with particulate matter in the atmosphere, providing researchers with new information about atmospheric aerosol and cloud properties, as well as air quality at local, regional, and global scales. Through the combination of 3 instruments, PACE will gain insight into the interactions between the ocean and atmosphere, and how climate change affects these interactions.
The Falcon 9 rocket used the first stage B1081 of its fourth flight4. The capacity margin of this launch rocket is large, and the first stage adopts the return field**, and the first stage returns vertically to the Cape Canaveral landing area after completing the mission.
This launch is the 11th launch of the Falcon 9 rocket in 2024, the 6th launch of Cape Canaveral Space Force Base, the 12th launch of the United States, and the 25th launch of the world.
Author: Mulan Xingzhou.
February** Dynamic Incentive Program