NASA’s PACE mission studies smoke and fires

Astrobitica June 26, 2026 (Last updated: June 26, 2026) 1 minute read

NASA’s PACE satellite is using its three instruments to observe vegetation precursors to fires and smoke plumes during the North American fire season, which has already seen a record number of acres burned. The data collected will assist scientists in understanding wildfires more deeply.

With the North American fire season underway, and a record number of acres already burned nationwide, NASA’s Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, and ocean Ecosystem (PACE) satellite’s three instruments are observing vegetation precursors to fires, along with plumes of smoke and their movement. These data will help scientists piece together clues that deepen their understanding of wildfires.