The planned launch of SpaceX Falcon 9 carrying NASA’s PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem) until NET Wednesday at 1:33 AM EST due to inclement weather. While NASA did not specifically cite which weather criteria created the need to delay, it almost certainly was due to high winds expected to build through the morning hours as a frontal boundary pushes through the Space Coast region.

NASA and SpaceX are standing down from the Feb. 6 launch of the agency’s Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) mission due to unfavorable weather conditions. NASA and SpaceX are now targeting launch at 1:33 a.m. EST Wednesday, Feb. 7, from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

Both the PACE satellite and the Falcon 9 rocket remain healthy.

Live launch coverage will begin on NASA+ and NASA TV public channel at 12:45 a.m.

NASA: 9:53 PM February 5, 2024

PACE is an NASA Earth-observing satellite mission that will perform advanced observations of global ocean color, biogeochemistry, and ecology, as well as the carbon cycle, aerosols and clouds. That data is key to identifying the scope of climate changes in the Earth’s atmosphere.

Wednesday Morning Outlook

The 45th Weather Wing has issued a Probability of Violation forecast for the launch, giving it a 50/50 chance of being within acceptable conditions early tomorrow morning:

45th Weather Wing PACE L-1 forecast, issued at 01:15AM February 6, 2024

As the 45th Weather Wing indicated, the Space Coast area will remain under a Wind Advisory until around 1 AM Wednesday morning. Launch time is 1:33AM.

Weather forecasts are always subject to change. Talk of Titusville will update this article with new forecasts as they become available.

Falcon 9 with PACE on the launch pad at SLC-40 on February 5, 2024.
Photo: Charles Boyer, Talk of Titusville
Charles Boyer
Author: Charles Boyer

NASA kid from Cocoa Beach, FL, born of Project Apollo parents and family. I’m a writer and photographer sharing the story of spaceflight from the Eastern Range here in Florida.


One response to “SpaceX and NASA Scrub PACE Launch Due To Weather”

  1. […] had been delayed several days due to inclement weather off both sides of the Florida peninsula. High winds also affected the timing of the liftoff of NASA’s PACE mission this week. The winds finally relented and […]

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