NASA is gearing up to provide extensive coverage of the prelaunch and launch activities for its upcoming Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) mission. Scheduled to launch at 1:33 a.m. EST on Tuesday, Feb. 6, atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, PACE aims to unravel the complexities of how Earth’s oceans and atmosphere interact within the context of a changing climate.
The live launch coverage will commence at 12:45 a.m., Feb. 6, and will be broadcast on NASA+, NASA Television, and the agency’s official website. The mission’s comprehensive coverage includes prelaunch events and is as follows (all times Eastern):
Sunday,Feb.4
• 9:15 a.m. – NASA Social Panel Livestream at NASA Kennedy featuring key participants such as Karen St. Germain, director, Earth Science Division, and Marjorie Haskell, PACE program executive.
• 11 a.m. – PACE Science Briefing on NASA+ with experts including Kate Calvin, chief scientist and senior climate advisor, and Jeremy Werdell, PACE project scientist.
Media representatives can request the news conference dial-in information and passcode by contacting the Kennedy newsroom before 4 p.m., Friday, Feb. 2, at ksc-newsroom@mail.nasa.gov. Questions from the public can be submitted in real time during the segment using #AskNASA on social media.
Monday, Feb. 5
• 8 a.m. – NASA EDGE hosts the PACE rollout show, airing live on NASA+, NASA TV, and YouTube.
• 9 a.m. – PACE Prelaunch News Conference on NASA+ and NASA TV featuring NASA Associate Administrator Jim Free and other key participants.
Tuesday, Feb. 6
• 12:45 a.m. – Technical feed starts on NASA TV media channel.
• 12:45 a.m. – Live launch coverage begins on NASA+ and NASA TV public channel.
For NASA TV downlink information, schedules, and streaming video links, visit NASA TV.
The media accreditation deadline for in-person coverage has passed, but virtual attendance is available. The agency’s media accreditation policy is accessible online, and inquiries can be directed to ksc-media-accreditat@mail.nasa.gov. Launch day coverage will also be accessible on NASA’s website, including blog updates, streaming video, and launch photos available shortly after liftoff. The launch will be covered on the PACE launch blog.
Audio-only coverage of news conferences and launch activities will be available on the NASA “V” circuits by dialing 321-867-1220, -1240, or -7135. On launch day, “mission audio” without NASA TV commentary will be on 321-867-7135, while a “tech feed” of the launch will be available on the NASA TV media channel.
To attend the PACE launch virtually, members of the public can register through NASA’s virtual guest program, receiving curated launch resources, notifications, and a virtual guest passport stamp following a successful launch.
To follow and engage online, use hashtags Keeping PACE and Ask NASA on Facebook, Instagram, and X. Connect with NASA’s social media accounts, including @NASA, @NASAKennedy, @NASAEarth, and @NASA_LSP.
Managed by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, the PACE project’s launch service is overseen by the Launch Services Program at NASA Kennedy.
