The American space agency NASA launched a new satellite into orbit on Thursday morning to study the state of the oceans, air quality and the effects of climate change.
The satellite was launched with a Falcon 9 rocket PHOTO: NASA
Known as PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Climate, Ocean Ecosystem), the satellite was launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on Thursday at 01:33 local time (06:33 GMT) from the US Space Force base from Cape Canaveral, in the state of Florida, according to Agerpres.
NASA confirmed that it came into contact with the signal transmitted by the satellite about five minutes after launch, adding that it was working as expected.
According to the US space agency, the PACE mission will study the impact of microscopic particles, often invisible, from water and the atmosphere, from hundreds of kilometers away from Earth.
A hyperspectral instrument equipped with the satellite will allow researchers to observe the oceans and other water elements in a spectrum of ultraviolet, visible and near-infrared light.
Scientists and coastal resource managers can use this data to forecast fishing activities, monitor harmful algae, and identify changes in the aquatic environment.
Also on board the satellite are two polarimetric instruments, which will detect how sunlight interacts with particles in the air, providing researchers with new information about atmospheric aerosols and cloud properties, as well as local, regional and global air quality .
Through the combined action of the hyperspectral instrument and polarimeters, PACE will provide information on the interaction between the oceans and the atmosphere and how the changing climate affects these interactions, according to NASA.
