NASA’s PACE Mission Status Updates: Advancing Science and Data Products

Following its launch from Kennedy Space Center in February 2024, NASA’s Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) mission has been revolutionizing our understanding of Earth’s systems. The observatory hosts three cutting-edge instruments: the Ocean Color Instrument (OCI), a hyperspectral radiometer, and two multi-angular polarimeters, SpexOne and HARP2. Together, these instruments are collecting unprecedented data on our living oceans, atmospheric aerosols and clouds, and land.

PACE extends NASA’s legacy of over 20 years of global satellite observation while initiating an advanced suite of climate-relevant data records. For the first time, daily global measurements are enabling improved predictions of fisheries dynamics, the emergence of harmful algal blooms, and other critical factors impacting commercial and recreational industries. Furthermore, PACE provides key insights into cloud properties and aerosols—tiny airborne particles that influence air quality and regulate Earth's energy balance by absorbing and reflecting sunlight.

Since its launch, the PACE science team, in collaboration with the broader scientific community, has focused on implementing, testing, and validating mission data products. Performance assessments through the PACE Validation Science Team (PVST) and field campaigns, such as the Post-launch Airborne eXperiment (PACE-PAX), have been pivotal in refining data quality and enhancing the mission’s scientific outcomes.

This presentation provides an overview of the current status of PACE science products, highlighting key achievements, ongoing validation efforts, and future goals aimed at maximizing the mission’s contributions to Earth science.