PACE atop SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket in the raised to launch position. Photo credit: NASA

On PACE to Unravel Earth’s Mysteries

The third time’s the charm. Against a calm and crisp dark night sky on Florida’s Cape Canaveral on February 8, 2024, just after 1:30 a.m., the Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, Ocean Ecosystem (PACE) spacecraft rocketed to orbit carrying on board Hyper-Angular Rainbow Polarimeter (HARP2)–UMBC’s wide-angle imaging polarimeter.  The launch marked the first time NASA deployed a university payload on a large operational Earth science space mission. Continue Reading On PACE to Unravel Earth’s Mysteries