Nasa climate satellite blasts off to survey oceans and atmosphere of Earth

The satellite will spend at least three years studying the oceans from 420 miles up, as well as the atmosphere.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on Nasa’s Pace mission lifts off from Space Launch Complex 40 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Florida (John Raoux/AP)

Nasa’s newest climate satellite has rocketed into orbit to survey the world’s oceans and atmosphere in never-before-seen detail.

SpaceX launched the Pace satellite on its $948 million (€880 million) mission before dawn, with the Falcon rocket heading south over the Atlantic to achieve a rare polar orbit.