NASA Will Launch PACE Clouds Citizen-Science Project
The initiative seeks to improve satellite atmospheric data through coordinated ground-based observations.
Updated on Sept. 28, 2026 in Space
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NASA has announced the PACE Clouds Challenge, a citizen-science project that will enlist global participants to capture ground-level cloud imagery. The research-stage effort aims to help scientists validate measurements from the PACE satellite through coordinated photography.
Why it matters
Ground observations provide essential context for the PACE satellite, which monitors Earth's atmosphere and oceans. By supplementing satellite data, this project addresses inherent challenges in detecting fine-scale details near broken cloud formations.
Participants must photograph the sky within a 5-minute window of a satellite overpass to support PACE instrument data validation. The initiative addresses known difficulties in sensing details at the periphery of broken clouds.
The players
NASA
The United States government agency responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space exploration.
PACE satellite
A sophisticated Earth-observing satellite designed to monitor global atmosphere and ocean health.
GLOBE Observer
A scientific mobile application used by citizen scientists to collect and share environmental data.
The details
The project uses the GLOBE Observer app, which allows users to monitor satellite overpasses in their local area, such as the Hudson Valley. Participants use the app to photograph the sky at specific times to provide terrestrial benchmarks for the PACE satellite instruments. These ground-level images allow researchers to ground-truth high-altitude measurements that may be obscured by the complex geometry of fragmented cloud cover.
Timeline
The PACE Clouds Challenge is scheduled to run through the fall of 2026.
Observers must capture sky photographs within five minutes of a satellite overpass.
The Tech Race
This initiative leverages the existing NASA GLOBE Program infrastructure to scale observation density for a specific satellite mission. It represents an ongoing effort to bridge the resolution gap between orbiting sensors and localized terrestrial conditions.
Individuals worldwide can contribute to the study by downloading the GLOBE Observer app and tracking overpass schedules. The project is open to the public through the fall of 2026, requiring only a smartphone for participation.
The takeaway
The project illustrates the critical role of human observation in refining autonomous satellite data interpretation. Interested observers can prepare for the program by tracking future satellite overpass schedules within their region.
Further reading
For broader developments in orbital monitoring, visit Space.
Source note: This article includes information reported by 101.5 WPDH.
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