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Landsat Missions

Since 1972, Landsat satellites have continuously acquired images of the Earth’s land surface, providing uninterrupted data to help land managers and policymakers make informed decisions about natural resources and the environment. Data acquired by Landsat satellites are distributed from the USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Project Information

There is a wealth of technical information and statistics about the Landsat Project, Landsat data, and Landsat science products. Statistics about Landsat data availability, distribution and usage are updated quarterly.

 

News about Landsat

Find the latest news about Landsat missions, data products, data access, and related topics. 

 

Landsat Products and Data Access

Landsat data products are continually being matured into the highest quality possible. These products allow scientists to provide improved and more useful results for land change and use analysis. Landsat data products held in the USGS archives can be searched and downloaded at no charge from a variety of data portals. 

 

Useful Tools & Viewers

Various files, tools, converters, and information to better understand Landsat acquisition and how to search for Landsat data and products.

 

International Collaboration

Landsat has always been an important component of U.S. foreign policy, science, and technology policy. A longstanding network of International Cooperators operate numerous International Ground Stations allowing direct reception and downlink from Landsat satellites. In 2010, International Cooperators started the effort to consolidate Landsat data acquired at worldwide ground station to the USGS archive.

 

Education and Outreach Resources

Landsat education and outreach resources can be used by students, teachers and the general public to further understand the fundamentals of remote sensing, Landsat technology, and how practical applications of Landsat data are helping specialists manage Earth's natural resources for a growing world population.

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News

Upcoming Interruption to EROS Processing and Distribution Systems

Upcoming Interruption to EROS Processing and Distribution Systems

USGS Retires Cloud-Based Visualization Tool

USGS Retires Cloud-Based Visualization Tool

FARMing with Data: OpenET Launches new Tool for Farmers and Ranchers

FARMing with Data: OpenET Launches new Tool for Farmers and Ranchers

Publications

ECCOE Landsat quarterly calibration and validation report—Quarter 3, 2024

Executive Summary The U.S. Geological Survey Earth Resources Observation and Science Calibration and Validation (Cal/Val) Center of Excellence (ECCOE) focuses on improving the accuracy, precision, calibration, and product quality of remote-sensing data, leveraging years of multiscale optical system geometric and radiometric calibration and characterization experience. The ECCOE Landsat...
Authors
Md Obaidul Haque, Md Nahid Hasan, Ashish Shrestha, Rajagopalan Rengarajan, Mark Lubke, Jerad L. Shaw, Kathryn Ruslander, Esad Micijevic, Michael J. Choate, Cody Anderson, Jeff Clauson, Kurt Thome, Ed Kaita, Raviv Levy, Jeff Miller, Leibo Ding

ECCOE Landsat quarterly Calibration and Validation report—Quarter 2, 2024

Executive Summary The U.S. Geological Survey Earth Resources Observation and Science Calibration and Validation (Cal/Val) Center of Excellence (ECCOE) focuses on improving the accuracy, precision, calibration, and product quality of remote-sensing data, leveraging years of multiscale optical system geometric and radiometric calibration and characterization experience. The ECCOE Landsat...
Authors
Md Obaidul Haque, Md Nahid Hasan, Ashish Shrestha, Rajagopalan Rengarajan, Mark Lubke, Jerad L. Shaw, Kathryn Ruslander, Esad Micijevic, Michael J. Choate, Cody Anderson, Jeff Clauson, Kurt Thome, Ed Kaita, Raviv Levy, Jeff Miller, Leibo Ding

Detecting trajectories of regime shifts and loss of resilience in coastal wetlands using remote sensing

Many freshwater forested wetlands along the southeastern United States coastline are rapidly transitioning from forest to marsh or open water, due to climate change-related disturbances. Recent studies have found early warning signals (EWS) of regime shifts in other ecosystems, but it is unclear if these can be detected for coastal wetlands. In this study, we examined the ability to...
Authors
Melinda Martinez, Marcelo L Ardon, Joshua Gray

Science

link

Eyes on Earth Episode 131 – Using AI in Geospatial Work

Artificial intelligence (AI) is helping to make EROS data products better and more efficient.
Learn More

Eyes on Earth Episode 130 – NLCD Accuracy

Providing accuracy metrics for a land cover map takes some work. But there’s poetry and story involved, too.
link

Eyes on Earth Episode 130 – NLCD Accuracy

Providing accuracy metrics for a land cover map takes some work. But there’s poetry and story involved, too.
Learn More

Eyes on Earth Episode 129 – What Happens During a Landsat Pass?

For this episode, we go inside the Landsat operations room at EROS to see what happens during a live Landsat pass.
link

Eyes on Earth Episode 129 – What Happens During a Landsat Pass?

For this episode, we go inside the Landsat operations room at EROS to see what happens during a live Landsat pass.
Learn More

Multimedia

Tongariro National Park’s Volcanic Massif
Tongariro National Park’s Volcanic Massif
Tongariro National Park’s Volcanic Massif
Thumbnail image for Eyes on Earth Episode 131 – Using AI in Geospatial Work, showing photos of the four guests
Eyes on Earth Episode 131 – Using AI in Geospatial Work
Eyes on Earth Episode 131 – Using AI in Geospatial Work
Landsat mosaic of Fort Peck Lake in Montana, showing an icy and snowy landscape.
Landsat Mosaic of Fort Peck Lake, Montana
Landsat Mosaic of Fort Peck Lake, Montana
False color Landsat 8 image of Mount Etna in Italy, showing the glowing lava flow
False Color Landsat 8 Image of Mount Etna
False Color Landsat 8 Image of Mount Etna
Natural color Landsat 8 image of Mount Etna in Italy, showing layers of ash on the snow-capped volcano
Natural Color Landsat 8 Image of Mount Etna
Natural Color Landsat 8 Image of Mount Etna
Number of Landsat Citations
Landsat Citations
Landsat Citations
Annual NLCD map of the Chesapeake Bay region, showing the extent of the Bay and major urban areas
Annual NLCD for the Chesapeake Bay Region
Annual NLCD for the Chesapeake Bay Region
Greater Los Angeles Fires January 2025
Greater Los Angeles Fires January 2025
Greater Los Angeles Fires January 2025
Landsat Level-3 Dynamic Surface Water Extent of the Chesapeake Bay
Landsat Level-3 Dynamic Surface Water Extent of the Chesapeake Bay
Landsat Level-3 Dynamic Surface Water Extent of the Chesapeake Bay
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