NASA is gearing up to enhance our understanding of Earth’s atmosphere with the upcoming Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) mission, scheduled for launch in early 2024.

The mission will employ advanced polarimeters to study the interplay of light, aerosols, and clouds, contributing to a deeper comprehension of their impact on air quality and climate.

The PACE mission will not only analyze aerosols but also delve into studying the color of the ocean. The primary science instrument for PACE is the Ocean Color Instrument (OCI), designed to measure the ocean’s color across a spectrum from ultraviolet to shortwave infrared.

Additionally, PACE will feature two polarimeters – the Spectro-polarimeter for Planetary Exploration (SPEXone) and the Hyper Angular Research Polarimeter (HARP2). NASA explained that SPEXone and HARP2, working together, will offer complementary spectral and angular sampling, polarimetric accuracy, and spatial coverage.

This combination aims to provide improved atmospheric correction and a comprehensive range of aerosol and cloud science data beyond what the OCI alone could achieve. The synergistic payload of OCI, SPEXone, and HARP2 is poised to make significant breakthroughs in aerosol-cloud-ocean research, according to NASA.