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>> HELLO AND WELCOME TO NASA'S
SPACE CENTER ON FLORIDA'S SPACE
COAST THIS IS THE SCIENCE NEWS
COVERAGES FOR NASA'S PACE
MISSION, THE PLANKTON, AEROSOL,
CLOUD OCEAN ECOSYSTEM TO DATE.
I'M FROM THE OFFICE OF
COMMUNICATION.
WE ARE LESS THAN TWO DAYS AWAY
FROM A MOMENT THAT WILL LAUNCH
US INTO A NEW ERA OF EARTH
SCIENCE.
NASA IS SENDING PACE TO LOW
EARTH ORBIT TO EXAMINE EARTH'S
ATMOSPHERE AND LIVING OCEAN
THROUGH A RAINBOW-COLORED LENS.
TODAY I'M JOINED BY A PANEL OF
EXPERTS TO GIVE YOU A BROAD
OVERVIEW OF A PIECE OF SCIENCE.
CALVIN, FROM NASA HEADQUARTERS,
KAREN ST. GERMANE, EARTH SCIENCE
DIVISION DIRECTOR, NASA
HEADQUARTERS, JEREMY WARDEL,
PACE PROJECT SCIENCIST.
ANDY FAIR AND NASA GODDARD
CENTER AND NATASHA FROM NASA.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.
WE'LL BE TAKING YOUR QUESTIONS
RIGHT AFTER OPENING REMARKS FROM
OUR MISSION EXPERTS.
THOSE OF YOU WATCHING ONLINE CAN
SUBMIT A QUESTION AT ANYTIME
USING THE HASHTAG ASK NASA.
>> THANK YOU, KATHERINE.
I'M EXCITED TO BE HERE.
PACE IS OUR FIRST EARTH SCIENCE
LAUNCH OF 2024.
BEFORE WE TALK ABOUT PACE, I
WANT TO TALK ABOUT 2023.
A FEW WEEKS AGO NASA ALONG WITH
SEVERAL OTHER SCIENCE
ORGANIZATIONS AROUND THE WORLD
ANNOUNCED THAT 2023 WAS THE
HOTTEST YEAR ON RECORD.
COLLECTIVELY THE LAST 10 YEARS
HAVE BEEN THE HOTTEST SINCE
MODERN RECORD YEARS BEGAN.
WE'RE SEEING AN OVERALL TREND IN
WARMING DRIVEN BY GREENHOUSE
GASES INCLUDING CARBON DIOXIDE.
AS IT IS RELEASED SOME IS
ABSORBED BY LAND, SOME IS
ABSORBED BY THE OCEAN AND SOME
STAYS IN THE ATMOSPHERE TRAPPING
HEAT.
GREENHOUSE GASES AREN'T THE ONLY
FACTORS AFFECTING TEMPERATURE,
THERE'S THESE TINY CHEMICALS
CALLED AEROSOL THAT AFFECT THE
SUNLIGHT AND CLOUD FORMATION.
THIS WILL PROVIDE MORE
INFORMATION ON OCEANS AND
ATMOSPHERE INCLUDING PROVIDING
NEW WAYS HOW IT CHANGES CARBON
AND WILL GIVE US INFORMATION ON
AEROSOLS ALSO.
IN ADDITION TO UNDERSTANDING
LONG-TERM CLIMATE, PACE WILL
ALSO GIVE US INFORMATION ABOUT
OCEANS AND AIR QUALITY THAT WILL
HELP PEOPLE TODAY, AND YOU'RE
GONNA HEAR MORE ABOUT THE PACE
SCIENCE FROM THE EXPERTS THAT
SPEAK AFTER ME.
CAN WE START THE VIDEO?
PACE IS GOING TO JOIN MORE THAN
TWO DOZEN SATELLITES AND
INSTRUMENTS IN ORBIT THAT ARE
MONITORING OUR PLANET.
WE CAN SEE THINGS LIKE
VEGETATION, CARBON MONOXIDE,
CLOUDS AND PRECIPITATION AND
MUCH MORE.
CARBON DIOXIDE EYED.
AND PACE WILL PROVIDE A
COMPLEMENT TO WHAT WE HAVE
TODAY.
JUST ONE EXAMPLE WE LAUNCHED A
SATELLITE THAT WE CALL SQUAT.
IT TELLS US MORE HOW THE OCEAN
MOVES.
PACE IS GONNA GIVE US
INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT'S LIVING
IN THOSE SERVICE OCEANS AND MUCH
MORE.
NASA'S VAST DECADE LONG ARRAY OF
DATA ABOUT THE EARTH IS FREELY
AVAILABLE TODAY AND PROVIDES A
REAL-TIME LIVING HISTORY OF OUR
PLANET AND PACE IS GOING TO
CONTINUE THAT TREND.
THE DATA WILL BE OPEN SOURCE AND
AVAILABLE NO LATER THAN 60 DAYS
AFTER LAUNCH.
ALL OF NASA'S EARTH SCIENCE DATA
IS PUBLICALLY AVAILABLE TODAY,
AND WE'RE TAKE STEPS TO MAKE
THAT EASIER TO USE INCLUDING
DEVELOPING TOOLS AND RESOURCES
THAT CAN HELP PEOPLE UNDERSTAND
WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THEIR
COMMUNITIES TODAY, WHAT MIGHT
HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE, AND HELP
THEM TAKE STEPS TO RESPOND TO
THOSE CHANGES.
AS PART OF THAT EFFORT, WE
LAUNCH THE EARTH INFORMATION
CENTER LAST SUMMER.
THE EARTH INFORMATION CENTER
INCLUDES A PHYSICAL SPACE IN
WASHINGTON D.C. WHERE YOU CAN
COME INSIDE AND SEE WHAT'S
HAPPENING ON OUR PLANET AND HOW
IT'S CHANGING.
IT ALSO HAS ONLINE RESOURCES FOR
THOSE OF YOU THAT CAN'T MAKE IT
TO D.C.
IF YOU GO TO EARTH.GOV, YOU CAN
SEE MORE ABOUT THE EARTH
INFORMATION CENTER.
I WANT TO CLOSE BY THANKING THE
PACE TEAM FOR GETTING US HERE
TODAY.
I'M REALLY EXCITED FOR THE NEXT
48 HOURS AND ALL OF THE DESIGNS
COME IN THE COMING YEARS.
NOW I'LL TURN TO KAREN
ST. GERMANE.
>> THANK YOU, KATE.
IT IS SUCH A THRILL TO BE IN THE
RUN-UP TO LAUNCH.
BUT AS EXCITING AS THAT IS, WHAT
I'M MOST EXCITED ABOUT IS THAT
PACE IS GOING TO SO PROFOUNDLY
ADVANCE OUR UNDERSTANDING ABOUT
HOW OUR OCEANS WORK AND HOW THEY
ARE RELATED TO THE BROADER EARTH
SYSTEM AND THE CHANGING CLIMATE
AS KATE MENTIONED.
WHEN PACE JOINED S.W.A.T. ON
ORBIT, THIS IS GOING TO USHER IN
REALLY A GOLDEN ERA IN OCEAN
SCIENCE BECAUSE AS PESO OH AS
SWAT TEACHES US HOW THE OCEANS
WORK PHYSICALLY, PACE WILL SHOW
US THE BIOLOGY OF THE OCEANS
THAT WE HAVE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO
SEE BEFORE.
IT'S GOING TO TEACH US ABOUT THE
OCEANS IN THE SAME WAY THAT WEB
IS TEACHING US ABOUT THE COSMOS.
IN THE GRAPHIC THAT WILL POP
HERE, PACE WILL JOIN SWAT AND
OUR WHOLE SUITE OF EARTH SCIENCE
MISSIONS.
THERE'S OVER TWO DOZEN OF THEM,
OBSERVING OCEANS, LAND, ICE AND
THE ATMOSPHERE.
IT WILL REALLY SHOW US HOW THE
EARTH WORKS AS A SYSTEM.
MANY OF THESE MISSIONS HOWEVER
ARE NEARING END OF LIFE.
AND THIS IS PART OF WHAT WE DO
AT NASA IS WE INNOVATE TO BRING
NEW MISSIONS THAT WILL BOTH
CARRY ON THE WORK OF THOSE THAT
ARE APPROACHING THE END OF THEIR
LIFE AND ALSO ADVANCED THE
SCIENCE.
PACE WILL ALSO PAVE THE WAY FOR
FUTURE MIGS SUCH AS THE GLIMMER
MISSION, THE EARTH'S SYSTEM
OBSERVATORY SURFACE BIOLOGY AND
GEOLOGY MISSION, THE ATMOSPHERE
OBSERVING SYSTEM AND FUTURE
PARTNER MISSIONS THAT WILL
FURTHER ADVANCE OUR
UNDERSTANDING.
THE SCIENCE FROM PESO OH REALLY
I'M MOST EXCITED ABOUT TWO
THINGS, ONE, PACE WILL
DRAMATICALLY ADVANCE OUR
UNDERSTANDING OF THE
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AEROSOLS
AND CLOUDS AND THE GLOBAL ENERGY
VALVES.
THIS IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST
SOURCES OF UNCERTAINTY IN OUR
ABILITY TO MODEL THE CLIMATE.
ANDY WILL TALK TO YOU MORE ABOUT
THAT AND MORE ABOUT AEROSOLS.
WE'RE ALSO GOING TO LEARN
TREMENDOUS AMOUNT ABOUT OCEAN
BIOLOGY.
THIS IS GOING TO REALLY CENTER
AROUND UNDERSTANDING PHYTO
PLANKTON, THESE LITTLE PLANTS
THAT LIVE IN THE OCEAN THAT ARE
AT THE FOUNDATION OF LIFE IN OUR
OCEANS IN GENERAL.
AND JEREMY'S GOING TO TALK TO
YOU MORE ABOUT THAT.
THESE ADVANCES IN SCIENCE ALSO
LEAD TO ADVANCES IN OPERATIONAL
SERVICES, OFTEN THESE SERVICES
GET DELIVERED THROUGH
PARTNERSHIPS WITH OUR SISTER
AGENCIES.
THESE ARE ADVANCES IN OUR
ABILITY TO PREDICT WEATHER,
VISIBILITY AND AIR QUALITY AND
THAT'S WHY PACE IS REALLY A
GREAT EXAMPLE, IT EMBODIES OUR
EARTH SCIENCE TO ACTION STRATEGY
AT NASA, WHICH IS DEVELOPING
TECHNOLOGIES AND INNOVATION THAT
ALLOWS TO SEE THINGS WE'VE NEVER
BEEN ABLE TO SEE BEFORE, THOSE
OBSERVATIONS LEAD TO
UNDERSTANDING, WHICH GETS
CAPTURED IN MODELS, WHICH GIVES
US THE ABILITY TO PROJECT INTO
THE FUTURE, AND THAT REALLY IS
FOUNDATIONAL TO THE SERVICES
THAT MANY AMERICANS AND PEOPLE
AROUND THE WORLD RELY ON.
THESE PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS OF
PACE WILL MOST DRAMATICALLY
AFFECT OUR COASTAL COMMUNITIES
AND INDUSTRIES.
THE OCEAN ECONOMY ACCOUNTS FOR
ABOUT $350 BILLION OF U.S. GROSS
DOMESTIC PRODUCT AND $3.1
MILLION -- 3.1 MILLION JOBS IN
THE COUNTRY.
ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING
SECTORS IN OUR ECONOMY,
ACTUALLY.
AND PACE WILL ALLOW THAT TO BE
INFORMED BY THE BEST SCIENCE WE
HAVE, MITIGATING ALSO ADVERSE
IMPACTS ON THAT ECONOMIC SECTOR,
SUCH AS THOSE THAT COME FROM
HARMFUL ALG ABLUMES AT ABOUT A
COST OF $50 MILLION A YEAR.
SO I'LL CLOSE WITH ONE MORE
THING I'M MOST EXCITED ABOUT
WITH PACE.
AND THAT IS MISSIONS LIKE THIS
THAT YOU CAN ONLY DO FROM SPACE
SHOW US OUR PLANET IN A WAY THAT
WE -- WE CAN'T SEE IT ANY OTHER
WAY.
OUR HOME PLANET IS A GEM, AND
THE IMAGE BEHIND ME GIVES YOU A
HINT AT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE
FROM PACE.
THIS IS OFF THE COAST OF
BRISBON, YOU CAN SEE EDDIES, AND
CORAL REEFS AND AEROSOLS.
PACE WILL ADD ANOTHER DIMENSION
TO THIS BEAUTY AND SHOW US OUR
HOME PLANET LIKE WE'VE NEVER
SEEN IT BEFORE.
SO LET'S SEE, I THINK I'LL HAND
OFF TO JEREMY HERE WHO WILL TALK
MORE ABOUT THE BIOLOGY AND OCEAN
SCIENCE.
>> IF I MAY, I JUST WANT TO TAKE
A DEEP BREATH AND SAY WOW.
OUR COMMUNITY, THE SHOULDERS
WE'RE ALL STANDING ON AND OCEAN
ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCE STARTED
THINKING ABOUT PACE 20 YEARS
AGO.
THAT'S A LONG TIME GIVEN WE'RE
TWO DAYS FROM LAUNCH AND SPENT 9
YEARS BUILDING A MISSION FOR
THIS PROJECT OF WHICH I'M
INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL.
THERE IS GREATER THAN A 50%
CHANCE I WILL BURST INTO TEARS
AT SOME POINT DURING MY FIVE
MINUTES HERE.
SO BEAR WITH ME.
I THINK IT MAKES FOR GOOD FILM.
GETTING BACK TO THE SCIENCE PART
1, WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE WITH
PACE IS REALLY THE SEARCH FOR
THE MICROSCOPIC MOSTLY INVISIBLE
UNIVERSE IN THE SEA AND SKY AND
IN SOME DEGREES OF LAND TOO.
YOU GOT A REALLY NICE
INTRODUCTION OF HOW THIS ALL
FITS IN BUT IF WE SEQUENCE TO
THE NEXT VISUALIZATION, YOU'LL
GET A PEEK OF THIS BEAUTIFUL,
BEAUTIFUL OBSERVATORY YOU'RE
GOING TO LAUNCH IN A COUPLE OF
DAYS.
SHE MIGHT NOT LOOK MUCH TO YOU,
BUT, OH MAN...
IT'S A THREE INSTRUMENT PAYLOAD
AND FRANKLY THE TECHNOLOGY
REALLY JUST OPERATES LIKE YOUR
EYES DO.
WE ARE LOOKING FOR INTERACTIONS
OF SUNLIGHT, BOTONS -- PHOTON
AND THE ATMOSPHERE IN THE AIR.
SO THE INSTRUMENTS SEE WHAT THE
PHOTONS ARE.
SO IT'S AS SIMPLE AS THAT.
WE COLLECT THEM FROM THE SUN,
COLLECT THEM, COLLECT THEM,
COLLECT THEM.
THREE INSTRUMENTS, LIKE I SAID.
THE PRIMARY INSTRUMENT IS THE
LARGEST ON THE BACK BUILT AT
NASA GODDARD SPACE LIGHTER?
AND TWO POLEEMETERS.
THE FIRST HARP 2 IS FROM
MARYLAND BALTIMORE COUNTY,
FABULOUS PARTNERS AND NEARBY.
AND THE OTHER IS SPECS 1, A
CONTRIBUTION FROM A CONSORTIUM
OF ORGANIZATIONS IN THE
METROPOLITANNER LANDS.
AND WHILE -- FROM THE
NETHERLANDS.
THEY HAVE BEEN UNBELIEVABLE
PARTNERS FOR OUR MISSION.
WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR ALL OF THEM.
BACK TO SCIENCE PART 2.
WHEN I THINK ABOUT WHAT PACE
OFFERS TO THE WORLD, IT COMES IN
TWO WORDS, CONNECTEDNESS AND
DISCOVERY.
CONNECTEDNESS BECAUSE WE ARE
STUDYING THE COMBINED SYSTEM.
IT'S NOT AN OCEAN MISSION, IT'S
NOT A ATMOSPHERE MISSION, IT'S
NOT A LAND MISSION.
IT IS ALL OF THOSE THINGS
MISSION.
YOU CAN'T UNDERSTAND ONE WITHOUT
UNDERSTANDING THE OTHER.
AND DISCOVERY, FRANKLY THE
SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY WITH PACE
HAS SOMETHING THEY CAN GROW
INTO, AND THAT HASN'T HAPPENED
IN A REALLY LONG TIME.
THERE ARE AMAZING FLEETS OF
SATELLITES OUT THERE, AND I AM
UNEQUIVOCALLY BIASED BUT THIS IS
A MISSION THAT WE DON'T KNOW
WHAT WE'RE GOING TO LEARN ABOUT,
AND THAT IS SO DEEPLY EXCITING.
IN FACT, I WISH I WERE A STUDENT
AGAIN WHERE I COULD BE PART OF
THAT.
I'M TOO OLD.
BUT WHAT WE'RE OFFER SOMETHING
JUST GOING TO BE REMARKABLE
HERE, TOO.
SO I MENTIONED THE MICROSCOPIC
UNIVERSE.
IN THE ATMOSPHERE, THOSE ARE
ATMOSPHERIC AEROSOLS, LIKE SAND
AND ANDY WILL TALK TO YOU ALL
ABOUT THEM.
I'M GOING TO TALK TO YOU A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE OCEAN.
WHY DO WE STUDY THE NOTION IT
NOTE ONLY PROVIDES THE FOOD THAT
WE EAT, AIR THAT WE BREATHE BUT
HELPS REGULATE CLIMATE, IT
PROVIDES COMPOUNDS THAT ARE USED
IN MEDICINES, AND OF COURSE THE
ECONOMY, JOBS, FISHERIES,
BEACHES.
ALL OF THAT WE RELY ON THE
OCEAN.
SO THESE MASSIVE SCALES SHORT
TERM THEY AFFECT OUR EVERY DAY
LIFE ALL THE WAY TO LONG TERM,
THOSE THINGS ON A DECADE SCALE
INFLUENCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE,
THE OCEAN IS INCREDIBLY
IMPORTANT.
SO THE MICROSCOPIC THINGS WE
LOOK FOR IS PHYTOCYNES.
THEY FORM IN THE FORM OF A FOOD
CHAIN.
THEY SINK AT DIFFERENT RATES.
SOME GET RECYCLED IN THE UPPER
OCEAN.
SOME CAN GET TO HIGHER PROCEEDIC
LEVELS AND CARBON DIOXIDE IS
REMOVED FROM THE SYSTEM, SO IT'S
REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT.
HAVE YOU THOSE THAT ARE
BENEFITTABLE AND THOSE THAT ARE
HARMFUL.
AND THIS GETS BACK TO THE SKILLS
THAT WE CARE ABOUT.
CLIMATE, CARBON MOVES THROUGH
THE SYSTEM THROUGH FIGHT OH
PLANKTON.
THAT'S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.
SHORTER TERM, FISHERIES.
FISHERIES RELY ON THE FOOD
CHAIN, SWITCHING OVER TO
ECONOMY.
FISHERIES ALSO, BUT ALSO THESE
HARMFUL ONCE THAT CONTAMINATE
WATER AND CLOSE BEACHES.
I THINK SOME ORDER OF 50% OF THE
WORLD LIVES WITHIN 60 MILES OF
THE OCEAN.
SO YOU DON'T SEE IT EVERY DAY,
BUT IT DOES TOUCH YOUR
LIFESTYLE.
IF YOU'RE A CITIZEN OF THE WORLD
WHO LIKES BREATHING AND YOU LIKE
EATING AND GOING TO THE BEERCHG
SAY THANK YOU TO A FIREFIGHTER
NEXT TIME YOU SEE ONE OF THEM.
WHERE DOES PACE FIT INTO ALL OF
THEM.
WE GO TO THE NEXT VISUALIZATION
THAT I CAN SIT AND WATCH HOURS
ON ENDS.
25 YEARS OF WATCHING THE EARTH
BREATHE COLLECTED BY THREE
DIFFERENT SATELLITES THAT
OPERATE SIMILARLY THAT ARE THOSE
ON PACE AND TWO AND A HALF
MINUTES OF YOUR SENSES
COMPRESSED INTO SPACE WATCHING
THE PULSE OF THIS PLANET.
SO THE COLOR BARS.
LET ME DESCRIBE THEM.
HAND, FAIRLY INTUITIVE IN THE
SENSE THAT WHITE IS ICE, DESERTS
ARE BROWN AND GREEN THE FOREST.
IF YOU MOVE TO THE OCEAN, THE
PURPLE ITSS, WAY, WAY OFFSHORE,
THOSE ARE THE DESERTS.
IF YOU COULD ACCUMULATE EVERY
PHYTO PLANTER AND COMPILE IT UP,
IT COMPROMISES LESS THAN 1% OF
ALL OF THAT BUT IT'S STILL A
COMMUNITY OF ALGAE, BACTERIA AND
PLANTS IN THE OCEAN THAT ARE
RESPONSIBLE OF 50% OF ALL OF THE
PRODUCTION ON EARTH.
THAT IS A MASSIVE CONTRIBUTION
BY THESE SMALL AND MIGHTY
BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL ORGANISMS.
BACK TO THE COLOR BAR.
THE REDS, THE GREENS, THE
YELLOWS ARE ALL THE FOREST.
IF YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING
AT, YOU CAN SEE THEM EXPANDING
AND CONTRACTING, GETTING RICHER,
MORE INTENSE.
SO THIS IS CHANGE.
CHANGE THAT'S HAPPENING THAT WE
CAN ONLY SEE FROM THE VANTAGE
POINT OF PACE.
EVEN WHEN YOU'RE ON BOATS YOU
CANNOT BE EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE
IN THE MOTION.
THE TURNOVER AND CHANGE AND
GROWTH WE CAN SEE VERY, VERY
QUICKLY.
WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT IS A
PRESENCE KIND OF SCALE HERE.
IF YOU SEE THE COLORS THERE ARE
A LOT OF PHYTO PLANKTON OR A
FEW.
I HAVEN'T MENTIONED TO YOU
WHAT'S THERE.
THAT'S WHERE PACE COMES IN, FOR
THE FIRST TIME ON GLOBAL SCALES,
WE WILL BE ABLE TO TRANSFORM
WHAT YOU'RE SEEING IN THIS
VISUALIZATION.
AND YOU WILL NOW BE ABLE TO SAY
I SEE THE ABUNDANCE AND PRESENCE
OF ABSENCE OF PARTICULAR
COMMUNITIES.
TIEING THAT ALL THE WAY BACK --
NOW WE'LL KNOW WHERE THE HARMFUL
ONES ARE, WHERE THE BENEFICIAL
ONES ARE, WHERE THEY'RE MOVING
TO AS THE OCEANS ARE STARTING TO
CHANGE.
SO THAT'S ME.
I LOVE THIS STUFF, AND I'M GOING
TO TURN IT OVER TO ANDY NOW TO
GET TO THE MICROSCOPIC UNIVERSE
OF THE ATMOSPHERE.
>> THANKS VERY MUCH, JERALD ME.
SO MY JOB IS THE A AND C IN
PACE'S NAME, AEROSOL AND CLOUDS.
I'LL START WITH CLOUDS BECAUSE
THEY'RE EASIER.
HOPEFULLY EVERYONE IN HERE KNOWS
WHAT A CLOUD IS.
THERE'S A 2/3 OF A CHANCE
ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD THAT
YOU'LL SEE ONE AT ANY GIVEN
TIME, SOMETIMES THEY'RE MADE OF
WATER, SOMETIMES ICE CRYSTALS
AND SOMETIMES IT'S A BIT OF
BOTH.
WE CARE ABOUT CLOUDS BECAUSE WE
EXPERIENCE THEM IN OUR DAILY
LIFE AS WEATHER.
ALSO, YOU KNOW, THEY CAN BRING
DISASTER IN SOME FORMS, THINKING
ABOUT HURRICANES.
SO WE WANTED TO STUDY THAT FROM
SPACE.
BUT WHAT ARE AEROSOLS AND WHY
ARE WE BRINGING THESE THREE
COMMUNITIES TOGETHER IN ONE
MISSION?
WELL, IF I SAY THE WORD AEROSOL
TO YOU, YOU'RE PROBABLY GOING TO
THINK OF A DEODORANT SPRAY CAN,
MAYBE SOME HAIRSPRAY OR A RAFFLE
CAN WITH SOME PAINT IN IT.
AND THOSE ARE ALL AEROSOLS BUT
WHAT WE'RE INTERESTED IN IS A
WHOLE DIFFERENT SCALE OF THEM.
IN THIS VISUALIZATION THAT'S
GOING TO COME UP RIGHT NOW, I'M
GOING TO SHOW YOU A WHOLE BUNCH
OF DIFFERENT TYPES.
SO THIS IS A MODEL SIMULATION
SHOWING DIFFERENT TYPES OF
AEROSOLS EQUAL IN SPECIES ALL
ACROSS THE GLOBE.
WE DON'T HAVE SOMETHING LIKE
THIS FROM SPACE YET.
THE DIFFERENT COLORS ARE THE
DIFFERENT TYPES OF AEROSOL AND
INTENSITY OF THE COLORS TELL US
HOW MUCH IS THERE.
RIGHT.
SO RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A PRETTY
GOOD HANDLE FROM SATELLITES ON
WHAT IS THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF
AEROSOL BUT WE DON'T HAVE SUCH A
GOOD HANDLE IN HOW IT AFFECTS
ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT SPECIES
AND THERE'S LOTS OF REASONS WE
WANT TO KNOW THAT.
WHAT ARE WE LOOKING AT HERE?
OVER THE OPEN OCEANS, YOU SEE
ALL THESE KIND OF SWIRLS IN
BLUE.
THAT'S SEA PRAY AEROSOLS.
IF YOU EVER TAKE A LONG WATCH ON
THE BEACH AND YOU TAKE A DEEP
BREATH AND GET THAT TANG IN YOUR
NOSE, THAT'S AN AEROSOL.
MAYBE IN THE WINTER YOU HAVE A
BONFIRE, MAYBE IN THE SUMMER YOU
PUT OUT THE GRILL, THE NEXT DAY
YOUR CLOTHES ARE STINKY, THAT'S
ANOTHER TYPE OF AEROSOL AND MANY
MORE OF THAT AS WELL.
YOU'LL SEE THINGS LIKE DESERT
DUST.
YOU'LL SEE FELON OTHER SOURCES
LIKE INDUSTRY AS WELL.
YOU'LL SEE SULFATE AND OTHER
THINGS TOO THAT AREN'T INCLUDED
IN THIS MODEL.
THERE ARE THINGS LIKE VOLCANIC
ASH AND AEROSOL TOO.
A WHOLE SPECTRUM OF DIFFERENT
THINGS.
WHY DO WE CARE?
WHY DO WE NEED TO KNOW THESE
DIFFERENT SPECIES OF AEROSOLS?
IT'S SO DYNAMIC THE ONLY WAY YOU
CAN POSSIBLY DO THIS, IT'S TEASE
LOSE YOURSELF JUST WHERE THEY'RE
COMING TO AND WHERE THEY'RE
GOING AND CHANGING IN TIME.
BUT I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU THREE
SPECIFIC REASONS WHY I CARE
ABOUT AEROSOLS AND WHY YOU
SHOULD TOO.
THE FIRST ONE IS AIR QUALITY AND
HUMAN HEALTH.
WHEN A LOT OF AEROSOLS ARE AT
GROUND LEVEL OR NOSE LEVEL,
RATHER, THEY CAN HARM PEOPLE IN
SPECIFIC WAYS.
THEY CAN CONTRIBUTE TO CHRONIC
CONDITIONS LIKE ASTHMA, AND WHAT
REALLY IS TO BE DETERMINED OF
HOW HARM OF DIFFERENT AEROSOLS
IS WHAT THEY'RE MADE OF.
SO GOING TO ITS COMPENSATION --
COMPOSITION AND HOW HIGH IT IS
IN THE ATMOSPHERE, THAT WILL
TELL US WHERE THE HOT SPOTS AND
BAD AIR QUALITY ARE.
WE CAN SEE SOME OF THEM NOW WITH
GROUND MONITORING SITES BUT YOU
CAN'T BE IN A BOAT EVERYWHERE
ALL THE TIME.
THE SPACE IS THE ONLY WAY WE CAN
DO THIS.
AND WE CAN'T FIX THE AIR QUALITY
PROBLEMS UNLESS WE KNOW, YOU
KNOW, WHERE THEY ARE.
THE SECOND REASON THAT WE REALLY
CARE ABOUT AEROSOLS AND IN
PARTICULARLY WHY IT'S IMPORTANT
TO PACE IS ATMOSPHERE ECOSYSTEM
INTERACTION.
AEROSOLS IN A LOT OF PARTS IN
THE WORLD, THEY CAN FALL FROM
THE SKY, EVEN IF THEY'RE BEING
RAINED OUT, WHEREVER THEY LAND,
THEY CAN INFLUENCE THEM.
SO DUST AEROSOLS ARE OFTEN FROM
IRON-RICH SOILS, THEY CONTAIN
PHOSPHORUS, AS WELL, IF THEY
FALL INTO A REGION OF THE OCEAN
WHERE THERE'S NOT MUCH OF THOSE
NUTRIENTS OR FAITHFUL TO THE
AREA OF THE LAND, ALSO KIND OF
NATO RENT FULL, THEY CAN
CONTRIBUTE TO PLANKTON BLUMES
AND HELP THE GROWTH OF NEW
PLANTS AND AGAIN WE CAN'T
UNDERSTAND WHERE WE'RE GETTING
THESE NEWT RENTS FROM UNLESS
WE'RE ABLE TO MONITOR THEM --
THE NUTRIENTS ARE WHAT WE
MONITOR.
AND THE THIRD THING I WANT TO
TALK ABOUT, CLOUDS.
WHILE IT MIGHT NOT SEEM LIKE IT,
CLOUDS DON'T FALL OUT OF A
VACUUM BUT CONDENSE AROUND
AEROSOLS, WE CALL THEM CLOUD
CONDENSATION AND HOW INITIATE
AEROSOL IS IT DOING?
AGAIN, IT DEPENDS ON WHAT IT'S
MADE OF.
SO, AGAIN, KNOWING EXACTLY WHAT
TYPES OF AEROSOLS WE'VE GOT,
WHERE THEY ARE, WHERE THEY'RE
COMING FROM, THAT'S GOING TO
HELP US BETTER UNDERSTAND WHERE
CLOUDS ARE FORMING, HOW LONG IS
IT GOING TO BE BEFORE THEY RAIN,
HOW HIGH ARE THEY GOING TO GET?
THERE'S LOTS OF KIND OF LIKE,
YOU KNOW, BIG PICTURE AREAS
WHERE IT'S TRUE BUT KIND OF A
FEW SPECIFIC AREAS AS WELL WHERE
WE REALLY CARE ABOUT STUFF LIKE
THIS.
FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN THE HURRICANES
HIT THE U.S. FROM THE ATLANTIC,
WHAT'S AT THE OTHER END OF THE
ATLANTIC, THE ZAHARA DESERT.
A LOT OF DUST IS COMING OFF.
AND THE INTERACTIONS BETWEEN THE
DUST IN THE ATMOSPHERE HELP
CONTROL CLOUD FORMATION AND HOW
THESE STORMS MOVE AND HOW THEY
GROW.
THE BETTER WE CAN GET A HANDLE
ON THAT, MAYBE THE BETTER WE CAN
PREDICT THESE KIND OF SEVERE
HAPPENINGS.
SO THAT'S WHY I CARE ABOUT PACE,
THAT'S WHY I WAS SUPER EXCITED
TO JOIN THIS MISSION ALL THESE
YEARS AGO.
I WANT TO PASS YOU ON TO THAT TO
BE -- NATASHA WHO WILL TELL YOU
ABOUT THE OPERATION OF THINGS.
>> I'M ALSO VERY EXCITED AND
HOPE I ALSO DON'T GET EMOTIONAL.
IT'S BEEN A COUPLE OF YEARS, SO
I CAN'T IMAGINE THOSE IN THE
20-YEAR RUN.
WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT
APPLICATIONS ALREADY, WHICH
MAKES ME SO EXCITED.
THERE'S SO MUCH IN INNOVATIVE
SCIENCE AND SO MUCH THAT WE KNOW
AND SO MUCH THAT WE DON'T KNOW
THAT WILL COME OUT OF THE
MISSION.
THE COMMUNITY IS ALSO REALLY,
REALLY EXCITED.
AND WITH THAT UNCERTAINTY COMES
THE OPPORTUNITY FOR LEARNING SO
MUCH.
SO THERE'S A VISUALIZATION THAT
WE'LL TALK ABOUT IN A SECOND.
YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT REALLY A LOT
OF THESE THINGS.
BUT TO REVISIT, PACE IS COVERING
THE ENTIRE GLOBE, LAND, WATER,
THE ENTIRE GLOBE, AND THAT'S
VERY UNIQUE BECAUSE THERE'S SO
MANY APPLICATIONS THAT ARE
RELATED, THERE'S SO MANY
APPLICATIONS THAT PACE CAN SPEAK
TO THAT WE'LL SEE IN A HOLISTIC
WAY.
YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT ALGA BLOOMS
AND PHYTO PLANKTON,
UNDERSTANDING WHAT'S IN THE
WATER, WHO'S IN THE WATER, HOW
IS THAT IMPACTING OUR HEALTH,
THE HEALTH OF OUR DOGS THAT LIKE
TO SWIM IN THE WATER.
SO UNDERSTANDING WHAT'S IN THE
WATER CAN IMPACT SO MUCH, EVEN
LOOKING AT FISHERIES, AQUA
CULTURE.
IF WE CAN UNDERSTAND THE FLIGHT
OF PLANKTON AND WHAT KIND OF
COMMUNITIES ARE IN THE WATER, WE
HE CAN BETTER UNDERSTAND WHERE
ARE THE BEST PLACES TO PUT OUR
FISHERIES.
MOVING BACK A LITTLE BIT ON TO
LAND, QUESTION ALSO, AS YOU
HEARD, UNDERSTAND MORE ABOUT AIR
QUALITY.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF COMMUNITIES
THAT ARE INTERESTED IN PACE DATA
TO BETTER UNDERSTAND HOW AIR
QUALITY WILL IMPACT OUR HEALTH.
SO AIR QUALITY ALERTS, WE CAN
MAKE THEM BETTER, WE CAN
FORECAST MORE EFFECTIVELY AND
MORE ACCURATELY HOW AEROSOLS
WILL IMPACT US.
ALSO ON LAND THERE'S A LOT THAT
WE'LL UNDERSTAND ABOUT FOREST
SPREE AGRICULTURAL.
SO, AGAIN, WHAT WE CAN'T SEE
WITH OUR EYES ARE A LOT OF
PIGMENTS THAT CAN ALERT US TO
STRESS IN VEGETATION.
A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED
FROM THE FOREST SERVICE, FROM
OTHER PARTS OF THE GOVERNMENT
AND OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD,
HOW CAN WE USE PACE DATA TO
UNDERSTAND WHERE IS THERE SOME
SORT OF THICKNESS IN VEGETATION
OR AN AGRICULTURAL FIELD.
AND -- A SICKNESS.
AND ALSO THINKING ABOUT VOLCANIC
CORRUPTIONS, FORESTRY, WILDFIRES
AND AGAIN HOW THE AIR POLLUTION
WILL ULTIMATELY AFFECT US AND
OTHER PROCESSES AND CLIMATE
IMPACT.
SO WHO IS IN THIS COMMUNITY?
WE'VE DONE SO MUCH WORK TO
UNDERSTAND WHO IS ALSO EXCITED
ABOUT PACE.
WHO COULD BE EXCITED ABOUT PACE
BUT DOESN'T KNOW ABOUT IT YET.
WE'VE DONE A LOT OF, I GUESS,
METAPHORICAL KNOCKING ON DOORS,
A LOT OF PHONE CALLS AND GETTING
THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER.
SO IT'S A -- IT'S JUST AS
DIVERSE AS PACE IS, THE
COMMUNITY IS THAT DIVERSE.
SO WE HAVE EVERYBODY FROM
RESEARCHERS WHO WANT TO BRING
PACE DATA INTO THEIR MODELS ALL
THE WAY TO THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO JUST
WANT TO INGEST THE BEST AIR
QUALITY ALERT THEY CAN.
AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN.
DECISION-MAKERS, POLICY HEY,
COMMUNICATORS, AND -- POLICY
MAKERS, COMMUNICATORS AND WE'VE
DONE A LOT OF WORK TO MEET WITH
THE USERS SEPARATELY AND HOW WE
CAN MAKE PACE DATA ACCESSIBLE
FOR THEM.
WE'VE GIVEN A LOT OF ATTENTION
HOW WE CAN KNOCK CAMETIZE THE
DATA SO IT MEETS ALL OF THEIR
INDIVIDUAL NEEDS.
SOMETIMES THAT COULD MEAN
THEY'RE ACCESSING IT THROUGH A
CERTAIN TYPE OF SPORTS DATA
FORMAT, SO WE GIVE ATTENTION TO
ALL OF THOSE THINGS TO MAKE SURE
THAT THE INNOVATIVE SCIENCE WE
TALKED ABOUT GETS INTO THE RIGHT
HANDS.
WE HAVE AN ALERT EARLY ADOPTERS
PROGRAM WHERE WE HAVE APPLIED
RESEARCHERS THAT ARE ALREADY
PLAYING WITH SIMULATED PACE DATA
SETS AND I'M EXCITED THAT SOME
OF THEM HERE AT LAUNCH, WHICH IS
AWESOME.
A SHOUT-OUT TO THOSE WHO COULD
JOIN PUPS WE HAVE A COMMUNITY OF
PRACTICE, WE HAVE HUNDREDS OF
PEOPLE THAT ARE JUST WAITING FOR
UPDATES, LEARNING ABOUT PACE,
CALLING WEB NARCOTICS GETTING
NEWSLETTERS AND SUPER EXCITED TO
SHARE WITH US HOW THEY WANT TO
USE THE DATA.
THERE'S SO MUCH WE ALREADY KNOW
AND AGAIN SO MUCH THAT HE WE'RE
LEARNING AND CONTINUE TO WORK
WITH THE COMMUNITY ONCE WE GET
THE DATA A COUPLE OF MONTHS FROM
NOW TO SEE WHAT DON'T WE KNOW,
WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT PACE DATA
THAT WE DIDN'T EVEN THINK ABOUT,
BECAUSE I THINK IT'LL BE A LOT
OF EXCITING STUFF TO COME.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU TO OUR EXPERTS.
THE PHONE LINE IS NOW OPEN.
PLEASE IDENTIFY YOURSELF, YOUR
OUTLET AND THE EXPERT WOULD YOU
LIKE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS.
TO MAXIMIZE TODAY'S TIME, PLEASE
NARROW YOUR QUESTIONS TO THE
PACE SCIENCE ONLY.
OUR FIRST QUESTION COMES FROM IN
THE ROOM...
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS?
>> KEN KRAMER, PACE UPCLOSE.
VERY EXCITING MISSION AND A LOT
TO ABSORB.
SO ONE THING I'M WONDERING ABOUT
IS WITH THE AEROSOLS, WILL YOU
MAYBE EVENTUALLY BE ABLE TO
CREATE CLOUDS, RAIN CLOUDS
THROUGHOUT AREAS IN IS THAT KIND
OF LIKE A LONG-TERM GOAL?
>> I WOULD SAY THAT'S NOT WITHIN
THE SCOPE OF PACE.
WE'RE KIND OF PURELY OBSERVING
THE STATE OF THE EARTH SYSTEM AS
IT IS WITH THE IDEA THEN THAT I
CAN BE USED TO IMPROVE THE
ENDING HOW AEROSOLS AND CLOUDS
WORK, HOW THEY INTERACT.
I WOULD SAY LIKE IT'S BETTER
UNDERSTANDING THE PROCESSES
THEMSELVES, IS OUR MAIN GOAL.
WEATHER MODIFICATION IS NOT MY
PERSONAL EXPERTISE.
I KNOW THAT'S SOMETHING THAT
VARIOUS INSTITUTIONS HAVE TRIED
IN THE PAST.
SO THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE
SPECIFICALLY INVOLVED IN.
>> HAVE YOU HAD ANY USEFUL
DISCUSSIONS WITH ANY OF THOSE
WEATHER MODIFICATION PEOPLE?
>> I HAVE PERSONALLY NOT, NO.
>> OR ANYBODY ON THE PANEL?
>> WELL, I'LL JUST SAY THAT OF
COURSE AS YOU KNOW, THIS IS AN
AREA OF INTEREST AND
CONVERSATION.
AGAIN, NASA'S ROLE IS REALLY
TRYING TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE
FOUNDATIONAL SCIENCE THOUGH THAT
THE INSTITUTION OF POLICYMAKERS
THAT ARE DOING THAT THINKING AND
THAT WORK HAVE THE BEST SCIENCE
AND THE BEST ABILITY TO
UNDERSTAND HOW THE SYSTEMS WORK
TO INFORM THOSE THINGS -- THOSE
CONVERSATIONS.
>> YOUR FOCUS HERE IS
APPLICATIONS.
SO THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING THE
QUESTION.
>> AND THAT'S JUST NOT AN
APPLICATION BEING LOOKED AT YET.
BUT IT IS A CONVERSATION THAT
COMES UP, AND IT IS SOMETHING,
YOU KNOW, THAT WE SEE THAT PACE
IS RELEVANT AND A USER CAME TO
US AND WANTED TO DISCUSS, WE'D
HAVE THE CONVERSATION BUT
HAVEN'T TARGETED THOSE SORTS OF
USERS YET.
>> AND WE WILL BE GOING TO THE
PHONE NEXT.
JONATHAN FROM FOX NEWS.
>> GOOD MORNING.
JONATHAN SERRIE WITH FOX NEWS.
THANKS SO MUCH FOR DOING THIS
BRIEFING.
I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT
LOGISTICS.
HOW LONG IS THE PACE MISSION
EXPECTED TO LAST AND WHAT TYPE
OF ORBIT WILL PACE BE IN AND HOW
DOES THAT ORBIT FACTOR IN HOW
PACE WILL BE GATHERING DATA FROM
THE EARTH.
>> I CAN GO AHEAD AND HOP IN ON
THAT ONE.
SO THE DESIGN LIFE FOR THE PACE
MISSION WAS THREE YEARS.
SO, YOU KNOW, ONE CAN THINK OF
THAT AS THE MINIMUM, BUT VERY,
VERY OFTEN OUR MIGS LAST MUCH,
MUCH LONGER THAN THAT.
WE'RE -- OUR MISSIONS LAST MUCH
LONGER THAN THAT.
WE ARE CARRYING THE FUEL WE NEED
TO CARRY ON THE SATELLITE ITSELF
TO MAINTAIN THE STATION KEEPING,
AND ULTIMATELY AT END OF LIFE,
HELP MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS
SAFE.
SO WE'RE HOPING FOR A NICE LONG
LIFE FOR PACE.
>> SO FOR THE SECOND PART OF
YOUR QUESTION, WE ARE A POLAR
ASCENDING ORBIT WHICH MEANS WE
START COLLECTING DATA ON THE
SUN-LIT SIDE OF THE EARTH ON THE
SOUTH POLE AND THEN TRAVEL NORTH
FOR THE NORTH POLE AND WE WILL
COLLECT DATA OVER LAND, OCEAN,
EVERYWHERE AS LONG AS THERE IS
SUNLIGHT.
SOME INTERESTING TESTS EARLY ON
TO SEE WHAT IS POSSIBLE ON THE
DARK SIDE OF THE EARTH BUT
THAT'S NOT OUR PRIME MISSION
GOAL.
ALTITUDE IS JUST SHY OF 700
KILOMETERS, 675.5 KILOMETERS.
THE COVERAGE ACTUALLY VARIES BY
INSTRUMENT.
THE PRIMARY INSTRUMENTS, THE
OCEAN COLOR INSTRUMENT AND HARP
2 ARE A VERY, VERY WIDE SWATHE,
AND THEY WILL SEE ALL OF THE
REAL ESTATE ON EARTH EVERY DAY.
THE THIRD INSTRUMENT SPECS 1 IS
NARROW SWATHE, SO IT WILL TAKE
CLOSER TO 30 DAYS TO BASICALLY
REVISIT THE SAME PIECE OF REAL
ESTATE.
WHERE PACE FITS IN PARTICULARLY
FOR OCEANOGRAPHY SELF THAT GIVEN
THE TARGETS ARE THESE TRANSIENT
CREATURES OR PLANTS, ALGAE.
YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T PERSIST ON
THE SCALES LAND PLANT DOES.
IT'S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO GET
A VIEW EVERY SINGLE DAY.
BECAUSE WHAT YOUR TARGET ON LAND
MIGHT BE OH PROBABLY BE THERE
TOMORROW BUT THERE'S A REALLY
GOOD CHANCE, THE PLANKTON YOU'RE
TRYING TO INVESTIGATE WILL NOT
BE.
AND IF I CAN HAVE THE FLOOR FOR
2 MORE SECONDS...
JUST TO SHARE AND GO BACK TO --
I MEAN, THIS IS WHY NASA DOES
OUR SCIENCE.
YOU'VE HEARD THE CONTEXT AND
TEXTURE OF ALL OF THIS BUT THIS
MISSION EPITOMIZES IT.
THE DIVERSITY HERE ALONE IN THE
SCIENCE THAT'S BEING
ACCOMPLISHED IS REALLY
REMARKABLE STUFF.
>> AND NOW WE'LL GO BACK TO THE
ROOM.
ANY QUESTIONS?
YES IN THE BACK.
>> HI.
YES, ROBINSON, THANKS FOR TAKE
OUR QUESTIONS.
GOING BACK TO THE APPLICATION
SIDE OF THINGS, UNDERSTANDING
THERE ARE EARLY ADOPTERS AND YOU
ALL HAVE BEEN REACHING OUT TO
VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS,
GOVERNMENT ENTITIES AND WHAT
NOT.
IF YOU START TO SEE SOME
TROUBLING DATA FORMING JUST SORT
OF WITHIN THE TEAM THAT IS
CLOSELY MONITORING IT, ARE THERE
MECHANISMS BY WHICH YOU CAN THEN
SORT OF LOOK AT THE RELEVANCE OF
GOVERNMENTAL BODIES, WHETHER
STATE, LOCAL, FEDERAL, WHAT HAVE
YOU, AND CREATE AN ACTION PLAN
IN CONJUNCTION WITH THEM OR
RAISE THEIR ALERT TO SAY, HEY,
YOU'VE GOT SOMETHING INCOMING.
YOU NEED TO START STRATEGIZING
ABOUT IT NOW.
THANK YOU.
>> MAYBE I'LL ANSWER YOUR
QUESTION IN A COUPLE OF PARTS,
HELPING THAT IT GETS TO WHAT YOU
MEAN.
WE -- WE'RE WORKING A LOT NOW ON
USER READINESS, ON TRAININGS,
YOU KNOW, MATERIALS SO THAT WHEN
THE DATA IS RELEASED, THE
COMMUNITY WILL UNDERSTAND WHAT
IS IN THE DATA, WHAT IT MEANS,
HOW TO USE IT.
BUT WE ARE HOPING, YOU KNOW,
THAT THE COMMUNITY WILL BE ABLE
TO DO THAT ON THEIR OWN WITH OUR
HELP, IF WE CAN, AND DO WITH IT
WHAT THEY SEEK TO DO.
SO WE'RE NOT NECESSARY LEGAL
PRODUCING, YOU KNOW, DECISION
SUPPORT TOOLS OR THE TYPES OF
TOOLS THAT WOULD GIVE ANSWERS
TOE CERTAIN QUESTIONS THAT USERS
ARE INTERESTED IN.
WE'RE MAKING THE DATA AVAILABLE
AND THEN THERE'S -- VARIOUS
USERS ARE BOUNDARY ORGANIZATIONS
THAT HAVE THEIR OWN TOOLS OR
MODELS OR PORTALS THAT THEY'LL
BRING PACE DATA IN AND IT WILL
BE DATA THAT ENHANCES WHAT THEY
ALREADY HAVE.
SO I HOPE THAT GETS TO YOUR
QUESTION.
YEAH, WE'RE TRYING TO OFFER
EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN SO THAT
USERS ARE READY AND UNDERSTAND
THE DATA AND LIMITATION SO THEY
CAN APPLY IT FOR WHATEVER
PURPOSE THEY WANT.
>> AND LET ME JUST AUGMENT THAT
ANSWER A LITTLE BIT AS WELL.
TERRIFIC ANSWER.
WE TALKED ABOUT EARLY ADOPTERS.
ONE OF THOSE FOR EXAMPLE IS
NOAA.
AGENCIES LIKE THAT AT THE STATE
LEVEL, THEY HAVE THAT
OPERATIONAL RESPONSIBILITY THAT
YOU JUST MENTIONED.
SO THIS IS A KEY CONTRIBUTION
THAT NASA MAKES OFTEN UNSEEN,
YOU KNOW, BEHIND THE SCENES,
THOSE FORECAST WATCH/WARNING
KIND OF SERVICES ARE OFTEN
PROVIDED BY OTHER AGENCIES AND
OFTEN FUELED BY NASA DATA, AND
WE CERTAINLY EXPECT THAT THAT
WILL BE THE CASE FOR PACE.
>> THANK YOU.
AND OUR NEXT QUESTION FROM THE
PHONE LINES.
JIM FROM NASATEXT .NET.
>> HI, EVERYBODY.
IT'S JIM SEIGLE FROM NASA TECH
.NET MANY OF MY READERS ARE IN
FLORIDA OR THE UNDERSTATES THAT
HAVE A LOT OF LAKES.
AND I ASSUME THAT THE PACE
INSTRUMENTS ARE GOING TO BE
LOOKING AT LAKES AS WELL AS
OCEANS.
AND PARTICULARLY I'D LIKE TO
TALK TO -- EXPLAIN TO MY READERS
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THIS
INSTRUMENT IS GOING TO HELP FROM
THE FISHING POINT OF VIEW.
IS THIS GOING TO HELP, FOR
EXAMPLE, IDENTIFY WHERE FISH
BEDS OUGHT TO BE ESTABLISHED OR,
ON THE OTHER HAND, PLACES WHERE
FISH SOMETHING DANGEROUS BECAUSE
OF WHATEVER PLANKTON OR
CHEMICALS OR WHATEVER?
I'M WONDERING IF SOMEBODY COULD
TALK ABOUT THAT.
THANK YOU.
>> I THINK THAT'S A REALLY,
REALLY GREAT QUESTION.
LET ME START WITH THE LAKES.
SO ONE THING WE HAVEN'T
DISCUSSED IS THE SIDES OF THE
FOOTPRINT ON EARTH THAT WE'RE
GOING TO SEE WITH ANY OF THE
INSTRUMENTS.
THE OCEAN-COLORED INSTRUMENT
ITSELF, THE ONE THAT WILL BE
SUPERSONIC FOR THE SECOND PART
OF YOUR QUESTION, IS ROUGHLY ONE
SQUARE KILOMETER THAT'S LOOKING
I STRAIGHT DOWN.
SO YOUR LAKE OR TARGET WILL
HAVE -- SO YOUR LAKE OR TARGET
WILL HAVE TO BE LARGER THAN
THAT, IN TERMS OF GETTING A
RETRIEVAL IN THIS PARTICULAR
OBSERVATORY WITH PACE.
BUT A STUDY A COLLEAGUE SCHEDULE
SOME TIME AGO INDICATED THERE
WOULD BE AN ORDER OF 100 LAKES
IN THE CONTINUOUS UNITED STATES.
CERTAINLY GREAT LAKES, LAKE
OKEECHOBEE.
TO YOUR SECOND HALF OF THE
QUESTION, THE SEAN YES.
SO AS I MENTIONED, ONE OF THE
PRIMARY MOTIVATIONS FOR
UNDERSTANDING HOW PHYTO PLANKTON
COMMUNITIES EVOLVE AT A TEMPORAL
AND SPATIAL SCALE FOR MEANING
FOR DAY TO DAY LIFE IS THAT
FISHERIES DO WELL WITH CERTAIN
COMMUNITIES BEING PRESENT.
THAT IS WHAT IS THE PHYTO
PLANKTON HAVE A CERTAIN INTEREST
IN.
JUST LIKE WE LIKE TO EAT CERTAIN
THINGS, AND THE FISH THAT EATS
THE PLANKTON ON AND OFF THE FOOD
CHANGE WILL REALLY GET
INFLUENCED BY WHAT'S AT THE
VERY, VERY BOTTOM.
SO WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
RETRIEVALS THAT CAN SHOW NOT
JUST ABUNDANCE OF THIS FOOD
SOURCE BUT ALSO THE COMMUNITY
THAT IS THERE, THAT INFORMATION
IS INCREDIBLY RELEVANT FOR
SOMEBODY WHO MIGHT BE MAKING A
DECISION ABOUT, I DO NEED MOVE
FISHERY, ESTABLISH A FISHERY.
AND THEN AT ANOTHER LEVEL, THERE
ARE OTHER DATA PRODUCTS IN THE
AQUATIC DWHRIEWFERS WE CAN
PRODUCE TOO THAT WILL --
BASICALLY REFER BACK TO HOW MUCH
SUSPENDED SEDIMENT MIGHT BE
COMING IN ON A VERY WET YEAR
FROM A PARTICULAR RIVER, ESTUARY
OR AFTER A STORM, THE DISSOLVED
CONTENT OF THAT, TOO.
SO THERE ARE ALL OF THESE OTHER
METRICIES OF INFORMATION THAT
WOULD BE USEFUL.
AND I'VE ACTUALLY HAD THE
OPPORTUNITY TO TALK WITH
MICHELLE FISCHER, PEOPLE IN HAVE
STARTED TO USE SATELLITE DATA.
SO I THINK THERE IS A TON OF
RELEVANCE, AND GETTING BACK TO A
PREVIOUS QUESTION, THE DA THE
FREELY AVAILABLE AS ARE THE
TOOLS TO USE IT.
AND IN PRINCIPAL TRAINS, AS WELL
TOO.
SO HOPEFULLY YOU CAN DIVE IN AND
YOUR READERSHIP WILL DISCOVER
THE NEW TOOL IN THEIR TOOL BOX.
>> THANK YOU, JEREMY.
PACE DATA IS MEANT TO BE ONE
TOOL THAT WE CAN ADD TO OUR TOOL
BOX.
WE HAVE ADOPTERS WHO ARE USING
PACE DATA AT A LARGER SCALE.
TO LOOK AT FISHERIES AND LOOK AT
WHERE SPORTS FISHERMEN CAN GO,
BUT THEY'LL USE OTHER DATA SETS,
GROUND-BASED DATA OR EVEN DRONE
DATA TO SEE -- PACE COULD
IDENTIFY A HOT SPOT, GOOD OR
BAD, AND ANOTHER MY POINT TO
WITHIN A KILOMETER WHERE THEY
GO.
SO IT CAN ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS
BUT NOT ALL BUT ALSO COMPLEMENTS
OTHER DATA GATHERINGS.
>> NOW WE'LL GO TO NASA SOCIAL
FOR KATE CALVIN, QUESTION ASKED,
ARE WE WARMING UP AS A PLANET,
AND PERHAPS YOU CAN ALSO TOUCH
ON HOW PACE COULD HELP WITH
CLIMATE CHANGE.
>> YEAH, THANK YOU FOR THE
QUESTION.
YES, WE ARE WARMING AS A PLANET.
2023 HAVE BEEN THE HODDEST ON
RECORD.
IF YOU LOOK -- IT WAS THE
HOTTEST ON RECORD.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT HISTORY,
THERE IS A TREND OF UPWARDS.
THERE ARE STILL LESS WARMER
YEARS BUT OVERALL WE'RE SEEING A
TREND AND THAT'S DRIVEN BY
GREENHOUSE GASES INCLUDING
CARBON DIOXIDE.
AND ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS
ABOUT A MISSION LIKE PACE, IT
WILL GIVE US A BETTER
UNDERSTANDING OF EXCHANGE OF
CARBON AND AND THE ATMOSPHERE.
SO THEY PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE
IN UNDERSTANDING HOW MUCH CARBON
REMAINS IN THE ATMOSPHERE AND
THE MORE CARBON IN THE
ATMOSPHERE, THE MORE HEAT WE
TRAP.
PACE IS ALSO GOING TO GIVE US
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT AEROSOLS.
AND THAT WAS MENTIONED EARLIER
AND HOW THEY INFLUENCE CLOUDS.
WE'LL HAVE A BETTER
UNDERSTANDING OF THE CLIMATE
OVER TIME AND THAT WILL GIVE US
MORE INFORMATION TO BETTER
PROJECT THAT INTO THE FUTURE.
>> THANK YOU, KATE.
NOW WE WILL GO BACK TO THE ROOM.
ANY QUESTIONS?
YES.
LZ.
>> BILL HARWOOD FOR CBS NEWS.
LIKE KATE SAID, A LOT OF
INFORMATION TO ABSORB.
I WAS LOOKING AT WEBSITE, AND
IT'S GIGANTIC.
FORETODAY'S WORLD FOR SOME OF US
SITTING OUT HERE IN THE
AUDIENCE, I CAN PROVIDE A 600
WORD STORY AND THEN THE EDITOR
WILL KNOCK IT DOWN TO 300 WORDS
AND THEN THERE'S X OR TWITTER.
WHAT I'M ASKING, CAN YOU BOIL
THIS MISSION DOWN -- THIS IS
POSSIBLE, BUT I'M ASKING ANYWAY,
YOU CAN BOIL SOMETHING THIS
COMPLICATED COMMUNE A COUPLE OF
VERY BASIC CONCEPTS, THE READERS
AT LEAST HAVE A SENSE OF WHAT
YOU GUYS ARE DOING IF NOT THE
DETAILS.
>> SURE.
I WOULD THINK ABOUT IT IN A
COUPLE OF DIFFERENT DIMENSIONS.
ONE, WHAT IT WILL OBSERVE, BOTH
OCEAN AND ATMOSPHERE.
SO MICROSCOPIC LIFE IN THE
OCEANS, TINY PARTICLES IN THE
ATMOSPHERE.
THE SECOND THING, AND I THINK
CAME OUT A LOT FROM THE EXPERTS
IS ABOUT TIME.
I TALKED ABOUT CLIMATE, BUT
THERE'S ALSO NEAR-TERM EFFECTS.
PASTE WILL GIVE US INFORMATION
THAT HELPS US PLAN TODAY.
IT WILL ALSO GIVE US INFORMATION
THAT HELPS US PLAN IN THE
FUTURE.
>> OH, YEAH.
SO THOSE ARE TWO REALLY
IMPORTANT DIMENSIONS TO THINK
ABOUT HERE.
AND I GUESS THE OTHER THING I
WOULD SAY IS THE OCEANS ARE 70%
OF OUR PLANET.
THE IMPACT THE OCEANS HAVE ON
OUR LIVES IS ENORMOUS, AND YET
THE OCEANS ARE ONE OF THE LEAST
WELL-UNDERSTOOD PARTS OF THE
EARTH'S SYSTEMS.
SO PACE AS A MISSION IS GOING TO
PROFOUNDLY ADVANCE OUR
UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THE OCEANS
WORK AND HOW LIFE IN THE OCEANS
IS RELATED TO LIFE ON LAND.
>> THANK YOU.
>> AND NOW WE WILL GO TO THE
PHONE LINES.
EMANUEL FROM EXPLORATION
SPATIAL.
S GOOD MORNING, HOW ARE YOU.
I THINK I WILL GO ALONG WITH
BILL'S QUESTION.
THE NASA WEBSITE TALKS ABOUT
CLIMATE AND SHOW THE CURRENT
STATUS OF THE PLANET SO YOU CAN
SEE KEY METRICS ON CARBON
DIOXIDE AND TEMPERATURE -- IS
THERE ANY KEY MEMBER THAT WE CAN
INCLUDE IN THIS DASHBOARD OR THE
DATA FROM PACE CAN ALLOW US TO
PROVE THESE CURRENT NUMBERS?
>> A DASHBOARD...
SO, LET'S SEE, SO YOU MENTIONED
OUR CLIMATE WEBSITE.
WE ARE ALSO -- KATE, YOU
MENTIONED THE EARTH INFORMATION
CENTER -- WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO
CONSOLIDATE THESE DASHBOARD
MATRICULATES.
I'LL GIVE ONE ANSWER, AND IT'S
PERHAPS MY COLLEAGUES HERE THAT
WILL AUGMENT.
I THINK THE STATE OF BIOLOGY ON
EARTH IS ONE KEY METRIC.
THE HOW MUCH AND HOW HEALTHY
KIND OF MATRICULATE IS ONE THAT
PACE COULD CERTAINLY CONTRIBUTE
TO.
>> MORE THOUGHTS?
>> THE DASHBOARD YOU'RE
MENTIONING IS LOOKING AT ITS
DIRECT OBSERVATIONS AT
PARTICULAR THINGS LIKE
TEMPERATURE, CARBON DIOXIDE, SEA
LEVEL.
WHAT PACE WILL DO IS HELP US
BETTER UNDERSTAND HOW WE GOT TO
THOSE.
IT WILL HELP US BETTER
UNDERSTAND THAT CARBON EXCHANGE
WITH THE OCEANIC ATMOSPHERE IS
THE TIME AND WILL GIVE US WHAT'S
INCLUDED IN THAT DASHBOARD.
>> AND FROM THAT YOU CAN
EFFECTIVELY SEE HOW THE LIVING
OCEAN IS RESPONDING TO ALL OF
THESE CHANGES?
>> THE THINGS WE'RE LOOKING AT
ARE SO TINY, THEY CHANGE SO
QUICKLY, BUT UNDERSTANDING THEM
HELPS US UNDERSTAND HOW WE GET
TO THE BIG NUMBERS.
>> THANK YOU.
ARE THERE ANY MORE QUESTIONS IN
THE ROOM?
ALL RIGHTY.
WE'LL GO BACK TO THE PHONES.
JEFF HOUSE FROM SPACE NEWS.
>> GOOD MORNING.
KEVIN PROBABLY FOR JEREMY OR
ANDY -- QUESTION PROBABLY FOR
JEREMY OR ANDY.
YOU'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR
A LONG TIME AND WERE THERE EVER
ANY DOUBTS LAUNCHING THIS
MISSION?
THANKS.
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> IT HAS BEEN A LONG, STRANGE
TRIP, THEY SAY.
NOW, WE WERE AS CONFIDENT AS ONE
CAN BE THAT WE WOULD FIND TWICE
PERSEVERE.
THE COMMUNITY WANTED ALL OF
THIS, NOT TO DIVE INTO POLICY OR
POLITICS, BUT IT'S BEEN A REALLY
REMARKABLE JOURNEY AND THE
SUPPORT FROM THE COMMUNITY, THE
SUPPORT FROM THE AGENCY, THE
SUPPORT FROM PEOPLE LIKE
YOURSELVES ASKING QUESTIONS,
GETTING INVOLVED, WE'VE KEPT OUR
MORAL HIGH.
>> AND I WOULD ADD TO THAT THAT
ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE DO
EVENTS LIKE THIS AND WE REALLY
APPRECIATE THE ENGAGEMENT IT IS
THAT TO MAINTAIN SUPPORT FOR
MISSIONS LIKE PACE THAT REALLY
DEPENDS ON US GETTING THE STORY
OUT THERE ABOUT THE KIND OF
SCIENCE WE DO AND WHY THAT'S SO
IMPORTANT TO COMMUNITIES AT HOME
AND AROUND THE WORLD, AND IT'S
IMPORTANT TO OUR STAKEHOLDERS,
RIGHT.
SO I THINK ONE OF THE REASONS
WE'RE SITTING HERE TODAY IS
BECAUSE THERE ARE MANY, MANY IN
OUR STAKEHOLDERS COMMUNITY WHO
UNDERSTOOD THE POTENTIAL IMPACT
OF PACE AND SUPPORTED US MOVING
FORWARD.
>> AND PROGRAMS LIKE THE ONE
THAT I WORK ON, APPLICATION
PROGRAMS, TO MAKE SURE WHETHER
EVERYBODY, WHETHER IT'S A FAMILY
WALKING AT THE VISITOR CENTER AT
KENNEDY YESTERDAY OR SOMEONE IN
THE GOVERNMENT OR SOMEONE IN THE
RESEARCH COMMUNITY UNDERSTANDS
HOW PACE WILL AFFECT THEM AND
HOW WE TRY TO MAKE SURE HOW TO
HIGHLIGHT THOSE ACTUAL
APPLICATIONS THAT IMPACT ALL OF
US, WHETHER IT'S WILDFIRES OR
AIR QUALITY OR FISH THAT YOU
EAT.
I COULD GO FOR A GROUPER AFTER
THIS.
SO THERE'S VERY REAL
APPLICATIONS THAT WE ALL
UNDERSTAND.
MY JOB IS TO COMMUNICATE.
>> ARE THERE ANY MORE QUESTIONS
FROM THE ROOM?
ALL RIGHT.
WELL, THANK YOU TO THE MEDIA FOR
THEIR QUESTIONS AND TO OUR PANEL
OF PACE SCIENCE EXPERTS.
PLEASE JOIN US TOMORROW AT
9:00 A.M. EASTERN TIME FOR THE
PACE PRELAUNCH NEWS BRIEFING AND
KEEP THE CONVERSATION GOING ON
SOCIAL MEDIA USING THE HASHTAG
KEEPINGPACE.
BE SURE TO SET YOUR ALARMS EARLY
TO WATCH OUR LIVE LAUNCH
COVERAGE THIS TUESDAY FEBRUARY
6th, STARTING AT 12:35 EASTERN
TIME ON NASA.GOV.
THANK YOU AND GOODBYE FROM
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