NASA and SpaceX are preparing to launch a central Earth and climate satellite attached to a Falcon 9 rocket early Thursday morning.
The mission, called PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem), will help NASA understand how the ocean and atmosphere exchange carbon dioxide. It will also measure key atmospheric variables associated with air quality and Earth's climate and monitor ocean health.
NASA and SpaceX are preparing to launch a central Earth and climate satellite attached to a Falcon 9 rocket early Thursday morning. The mission, called PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem), will help NASA understand how the ocean and atmosphere exchange carbon dioxide. It will also measure key atmospheric variables associated with air quality and Earth's climate and monitor ocean health.
The PACE mission is a nearly $1 billion spacecraft that will dramatically advance our understanding of the relationship between aerosols and clouds and the global energy balance
Oceans cover 70 percent of the planet's surface but are one of the least well understood parts of Earth system
Accuracy
The PACE mission will help us learn how particles in our atmosphere and our oceans can identify key factors impacting global warming.
From hundreds of miles above Earth, the PACE mission will study the impact of tiny, often invisible things: microscopic life in water and microscopic particles in the air.
Deception
(50%)
The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, it states that the PACE mission will teach us about ocean biology and how life in the oceans is related to life on land. However, this statement contradicts itself as it implies that we already have a good understanding of these relationships when in fact we do not. Secondly, the article claims that PACE will provide high-precision data allowing researchers to fine-tune computer models and give policy makers more accurate information about ongoing trends and long-term threats. However, this statement is misleading as it implies that PACE's data will be able to accurately predict future climate changes when in fact its primary goal is to understand how ocean life interacts with the atmosphere and global climate.
The article states that PACE will teach us about ocean biology and how life in the oceans is related to life on land. However, this statement contradicts itself as it implies that we already have a good understanding of these relationships when in fact we do not.
Fallacies
(85%)
The article contains an appeal to authority by stating that NASA's Earth sciences division director Karen St. Germain said certain things about the PACE mission. The author also uses inflammatory rhetoric when describing the importance of understanding phytoplankton and how it relates to life on land, but this is not a fallacy as it is supported by scientific evidence.
Karen St. Germain, director of NASA's Earth sciences division said “This is one of the biggest sources of uncertainty in our ability to model the climate.”
The author uses inflammatory rhetoric when describing the importance of understanding phytoplankton and how it relates to life on land, but this is not a fallacy as it is supported by scientific evidence.
Bias
(85%)
The article is biased towards the success of NASA's PACE mission. The author uses phrases such as 'nearly $1 billion spacecraft', 'profoundly advance our understanding of how the oceans work and how life in the oceans is related to life on land', and 'provide high-precision data allowing researchers to fine-tune computer models' which all suggest that PACE will be a success. The author also uses phrases such as 'rocky road to the launch pad' and 'multiple attempts by Trump administration to cancel the project, in part, but Congress did not go along', which suggests that there was opposition to PACE from certain groups or individuals.
nearly $1 billion spacecraft
profoundly advance our understanding of how the oceans work and how life in the oceans is related to life on land
provide high-precision data allowing researchers to fine-tune computer models
NASA's satellite mission to study ocean health, air quality, and the effects of a changing climate for the benefit of humanity launched successfully into orbit at 1:33 a.m. EST Thursday.
The spacecraft's hyperspectral ocean color instrument will allow researchers to measure oceans and other waterbodies across a spectrum of ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared light.
Observations from PACE will profoundly advance our knowledge of the ocean's role in the climate cycle.
Accuracy
The PACE mission will help us learn how particles in our atmosphere and our oceans can identify key factors impacting global warming.
Deception
(100%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Fallacies
(85%)
The article contains several examples of informal fallacies. The author uses an appeal to authority by stating that NASA's mission will help us learn like never before and support the Biden-Harris Administration's climate agenda. This statement is not supported by any evidence or data presented in the article, but rather it is a claim made about what the future may hold based on current plans. Additionally, there are several instances of inflammatory rhetoric used to describe global warming and its effects on phytoplankton and marine ecosystems. The author also uses dichotomous depictions by stating that PACE will provide insights into how a changing climate affects the interactions of the ocean and atmosphere. This statement implies that there are only two possible outcomes: either the climate is changing or it isn't, which oversimplifies a complex issue.
The author uses an appeal to authority by stating that NASA's mission will help us learn like never before and support the Biden-Harris Administration's climate agenda. This statement is not supported by any evidence or data presented in the article, but rather it is a claim made about what the future may hold based on current plans.
The author uses inflammatory rhetoric to describe global warming as having effects on phytoplankton and marine ecosystems.
Bias
(85%)
The article contains a statement that PACE will help us learn like never before how particles in our atmosphere and our oceans can identify key factors impacting global warming. This is an example of ideological bias as the author implies that only NASA's mission can provide this information.
PACE will help us learn, like never before, how particles in our atmosphere and our oceans can identify key factors impacting global warming.
Site
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
The article discusses the launch of NASA's PACE mission to study ocean health, air quality and climate change. The author is Karen St. Germain who has a financial tie with SpaceX as she was previously the Vice President for Mission Directorate at SpaceX.
NASA and SpaceX are preparing to launch a central Earth and climate satellite attached to a Falcon 9 rocket early Thursday morning.
The mission, called PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem), will help NASA understand how the ocean and atmosphere exchange carbon dioxide.
PACE will also measure key atmospheric variables associated with air quality and Earth's climate and monitor ocean health.
Accuracy
No Contradictions at Time
Of
Publication
Deception
(100%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Fallacies
(85%)
The article contains several fallacies. The author uses an appeal to authority by stating that NASA is providing live coverage of the launch and that PACE mission will help NASA understand how the ocean and atmosphere exchange carbon dioxide, measure key atmospheric variables associated with air quality and Earth's climate, and monitor ocean health. Additionally, the article contains a dichotomous depiction when it states that weather was a factor in canceling the last two scheduled launches of the mission but then goes on to say that weather conditions on Wednesday into early Thursday morning look very favorable with only a low risk of cumulus clouds. The author also uses inflammatory rhetoric by stating that SpaceX and NASA are once again preparing to launch a central Earth and climate satellite attached to a Falcon 9 rocket, which could be interpreted as an attack on the space program or the government.
NASA is providing live coverage of the launch
PACE mission will help NASA understand how the ocean and atmosphere exchange carbon dioxide, measure key atmospheric variables associated with air quality and Earth's climate, and monitor ocean health
weather was a factor in canceling the last two scheduled launches of the mission but then goes on to say that weather conditions on Wednesday into early Thursday morning look very favorable with only a low risk of cumulus clouds
SpaceX and NASA are once again preparing to launch a central Earth and climate satellite attached to a Falcon 9 rocket
Bias
(75%)
The article contains a statement that implies the PACE mission will help NASA understand how the ocean and atmosphere exchange carbon dioxide. This is an example of ideological bias as it suggests that there is only one way to view this process.
> The launch will see a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carry a spacecraft called PACE, which stands for Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem. The mission will help NASA understand how the ocean and atmosphere exchange carbon dioxide,
Site
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
Emily DeLetter has a conflict of interest on the topics of NASA and SpaceX as she is reporting live from their launch site. She also has a personal relationship with NASA as they are her virtual guest for the event.
Author
Conflicts
Of
Interest (0%)
There are multiple conflicts of interest found in the article.
<1:33 a.m. ET on Thursday, Feb. 8 from the Space Launch Complex40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida>
commemorative stamps for your virtual guest passport
NASA's YouTube channel
The author is a reporter for USA Today which has financial ties to SpaceX.
