NASA and SpaceX are canceling the launch of the agency’s Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, Ocean Ecosystem (PACE) mission on Wednesday, Feb. 7, after surface winds prevented pre-launch inspections. The launch was previously planned to be held on February 6, but was canceled due to adverse weather conditions.

The team plans to launch at 1:33 a.m. ET on Thursday, Feb. 8, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at the Space Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The satellite and rocket are healthy and ready for launch. Live coverage of the launch will begin at 12:45 a.m. ET on February 8 on public channels NASA+ and NASA TV.

The Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, Ocean Ecosystem (PACE) mission is a NASA initiative aimed at improving our understanding of the interaction between Earth’s ocean and atmosphere. The main purpose of the mission is to observe the color of the world’s oceans, aerosols, clouds and marine ecosystems from space. Using state-of-the-art instruments, including a wide spectral ocean color sensor, PACE will allow scientists to study the diversity of phytoplankton in the ocean. These tiny plant-like organisms form the backbone of the ocean’s food web and play a critical role in the carbon cycle and Earth’s climate.

PACE aims to provide unprecedented information on ocean ecological dynamics, air quality, and cloud-aerosol interactions that are critical to improving our understanding of Earth’s climate system and environmental health. The data collected will support a variety of applications, including climate research, air quality forecasting, and coastal and ocean resource management. The PACE mission aims to make a significant contribution to environmental protection and the sustainability of our planet by improving our knowledge of the Earth’s oceans and atmosphere.