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Watch and learn more about the land remote sensing program that changed the world by opening the door to long-term civilian satellite observation. 

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Illustration of Landsat satellite generations over 50 years Landsat: Celebrating 50 Years
Landsat: Celebrating 50 Years
Landsat: Celebrating 50 Years

The Landsat program conceived of in the 1960s, has been running longer than any remote sensing program. The idea was simple: position a satellite in a nearly polar orbit fixed to the solar angle so that each daytime pass would cross the equator at roughly the same local time.

The Landsat program conceived of in the 1960s, has been running longer than any remote sensing program. The idea was simple: position a satellite in a nearly polar orbit fixed to the solar angle so that each daytime pass would cross the equator at roughly the same local time.

color thumbnail for USGS EROS Image of the Week - Landsat's 10 Millionth Scene Image of the Week - Landsat's 10 Millionth Scene
Image of the Week - Landsat's 10 Millionth Scene
Image of the Week - Landsat's 10 Millionth Scene

Landsat 7 had the honor of acquiring the satellite program’s 10 millionth scene in November 2021.

The scene captures changes to the Dead Sea, located in Southwest Asia. The Dead Sea is mainly fed by the Jordan River, which enters from the north. However, the water level of the Dead Sea has been falling due to irrigation projects and water use upstream.

Landsat 7 had the honor of acquiring the satellite program’s 10 millionth scene in November 2021.

The scene captures changes to the Dead Sea, located in Southwest Asia. The Dead Sea is mainly fed by the Jordan River, which enters from the north. However, the water level of the Dead Sea has been falling due to irrigation projects and water use upstream.

Landsat 9 Underfly screenshot Landsat 9 Underfly, November 2021
Landsat 9 Underfly, November 2021
Landsat 9 Underfly, November 2021

The newly launched Landsat 9 experienced a once-in-a-mission lifetime event where its orbit was directly below Landsat 8 for an “underfly.” For several days in the middle of November, the pair of Earth-observing satellites flew together, collecting data at the same time for the same sites and requiring simultaneous downlinking to global ground station antennas.

The newly launched Landsat 9 experienced a once-in-a-mission lifetime event where its orbit was directly below Landsat 8 for an “underfly.” For several days in the middle of November, the pair of Earth-observing satellites flew together, collecting data at the same time for the same sites and requiring simultaneous downlinking to global ground station antennas.

Screenshot for video thumbnail of Landsat 9 first images Image of the Week - Landsat 9 First Images!
Image of the Week - Landsat 9 First Images!
Image of the Week - Landsat 9 First Images!

Landsat 9 launched into space on September 27th, 2021. The "first light" images arrived on October 31st. On that day the satellite captured: algal blooms in Lake Erie, the glaciers of the Himalayas, bush fires in Australia's Eucalypt Woodlands, coastal communities on the Florida panhandle, and deserts, mountains and mesas across the Navajo Nation.

Landsat 9 launched into space on September 27th, 2021. The "first light" images arrived on October 31st. On that day the satellite captured: algal blooms in Lake Erie, the glaciers of the Himalayas, bush fires in Australia's Eucalypt Woodlands, coastal communities on the Florida panhandle, and deserts, mountains and mesas across the Navajo Nation.

A Legacy Continues with Landsat 9 Launch
A Legacy Continues with Landsat 9 Launch
A Legacy Continues with Landsat 9 Launch

Landsat 9 is a partnership between NASA and USGS. The satellite will continue the Landsat program’s mission to capture repeat snapshots of Earth to monitor, understand and manage natural resources.

Landsat 9 is a partnership between NASA and USGS. The satellite will continue the Landsat program’s mission to capture repeat snapshots of Earth to monitor, understand and manage natural resources.

Landsat Launches - Looking Back (AD)
Landsat Launches - Looking Back (AD)
Landsat Launches - Looking Back (AD)

[Audio Descriptions]
A short look back at the the history of Landsat launches through the historic articles of the Lompoc Record publication.

View non-AD version.

 

[Audio Descriptions]
A short look back at the the history of Landsat launches through the historic articles of the Lompoc Record publication.

View non-AD version.

 

EarthShots — Satellite Images of Environmental Change
EarthShots — Satellite Images of Environmental Change
EarthShots — Satellite Images of Environmental Change

The US Geological Survey's Earth Resources Observation and Science Center, or "EROS" archive’s data from the LandSat satellites which have been in operation from 1972 to the present day. EarthShots presents environmental changes using Landsat images. 
 

The US Geological Survey's Earth Resources Observation and Science Center, or "EROS" archive’s data from the LandSat satellites which have been in operation from 1972 to the present day. EarthShots presents environmental changes using Landsat images. 
 

Earth Observation User Case: Using Landsat to Connect Space to Village
Earth Observation User Case: Using Landsat to Connect Space to Village
Earth Observation User Case: Using Landsat to Connect Space to Village

Social scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Fort Collins Science Center – in collaboration with the USGS National Land Imaging Program – conduct Earth observation user case studies using qualitative research methods.

Social scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Fort Collins Science Center – in collaboration with the USGS National Land Imaging Program – conduct Earth observation user case studies using qualitative research methods.

Using Landsat and Machine Learning to Map Urban Change
Using Landsat and Machine Learning to Map Urban Change
Using Landsat and Machine Learning to Map Urban Change

Social scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Fort Collins Science Center – in collaboration with the USGS National Land Imaging Program – conduct Earth observation user case studies using qualitative research methods.

Social scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Fort Collins Science Center – in collaboration with the USGS National Land Imaging Program – conduct Earth observation user case studies using qualitative research methods.

Image of the Week - Landsat Archive Hits 9 Million Scenes
Image of the Week - Landsat Archive Hits 9 Million Scenes
Image of the Week - Landsat Archive Hits 9 Million Scenes

The Landsat archive is the world's longest continuously collected record of the Earth's surface. In mid September, it notched another milestone by adding its nine millionth scene. This particular image from north central Paraguay helps tell the kind of story that only a long historical record like Landsat can.

The Landsat archive is the world's longest continuously collected record of the Earth's surface. In mid September, it notched another milestone by adding its nine millionth scene. This particular image from north central Paraguay helps tell the kind of story that only a long historical record like Landsat can.

Landsat Data in the Cloud
Landsat Data in the Cloud
Landsat Data in the Cloud

The Landsat series of Earth-observing satellites has been continuously acquiring land surface imagery since 1972. Over 10 million Landsat scenes are currently available for download. They are also accessible from a cloud environment, in a cloud optimized format that gives you more flexible, customized access.

The Landsat series of Earth-observing satellites has been continuously acquiring land surface imagery since 1972. Over 10 million Landsat scenes are currently available for download. They are also accessible from a cloud environment, in a cloud optimized format that gives you more flexible, customized access.

Image of the Week — 100 Million Landsat Downloads
Image of the Week — 100 Million Landsat Downloads
Image of the Week — 100 Million Landsat Downloads

This Landsat 8 image from May 24th, 2017 shows an enthralling New Zealand landscape. Snow-capped mountain peaks, forests, farmland, and fog highlight the picturesque view of New Zealand's North Island. The scene was downloaded on March 9th, 2020 one of over 29,000 Landsat scenes downloaded worldwide that day. But this scene is special.

This Landsat 8 image from May 24th, 2017 shows an enthralling New Zealand landscape. Snow-capped mountain peaks, forests, farmland, and fog highlight the picturesque view of New Zealand's North Island. The scene was downloaded on March 9th, 2020 one of over 29,000 Landsat scenes downloaded worldwide that day. But this scene is special.

Landsat in Action - Water Use with Molly Maupin and Gabriel Senay
Landsat in Action - Water Use with Molly Maupin and Gabriel Senay
Landsat in Action - Water Use with Molly Maupin and Gabriel Senay

USGS Hydrologist Molly Maupin and USGS Research Physical Scientist Gabriel Senay discuss how Landsat imagery has been used by the National Water Census and in studying water use trends.
 

USGS Hydrologist Molly Maupin and USGS Research Physical Scientist Gabriel Senay discuss how Landsat imagery has been used by the National Water Census and in studying water use trends.
 

Image of the Week - 8 Million Landsat Scenes!
Image of the Week - 8 Million Landsat Scenes!
Image of the Week - 8 Million Landsat Scenes!

The Landsat archive has added its 8 millionth scene. 

This stunning image was captured by Landsat 8 on July 28, 2018. It shows the coastline of Nordaustlandet, the second-largest island in Norway’s Svalbard archipelago.

The Landsat archive has added its 8 millionth scene. 

This stunning image was captured by Landsat 8 on July 28, 2018. It shows the coastline of Nordaustlandet, the second-largest island in Norway’s Svalbard archipelago.

Daily Operations of Landsat 7
Daily Operations of Landsat 7
Daily Operations of Landsat 7

What it takes each day to keep Landsat 7 operating smoothly. Hear the stories from inside the L7 Mission Operation Center.

 

What it takes each day to keep Landsat 7 operating smoothly. Hear the stories from inside the L7 Mission Operation Center.

 

Landsat in Action - Land Cover and Land Cover Change with Tom Loveland
Landsat in Action - Land Cover and Land Cover Change with Tom Loveland
Landsat in Action - Land Cover and Land Cover Change with Tom Loveland

Tom Loveland talks about using Landsat's data for land use and land cover change research.

Find this video and thousands more at https://usgs.gov/gallery.

Landsat in Action - Google's Earth Engine with Noel Gorelick
Landsat in Action - Google's Earth Engine with Noel Gorelick
Landsat in Action - The Accuracy of Landsat with Jeff Masek
Landsat in Action - The Accuracy of Landsat with Jeff Masek
Landsat in Action - The Accuracy of Landsat with Jeff Masek

Landsat 9 Project Scientist Jeff Masek discusses the ways Landsat data is used and how important it is to have high quality data.
 

Landsat in Action - Studying Phenology with Patrick Hostert
Landsat in Action - Studying Phenology with Patrick Hostert
Landsat in Action - Studying Phenology with Patrick Hostert

Patrick Hostert from the University of Berlin discusses the value of Landsat's long archive to studying phenology.
 

10th Anniversary of Landsat's Free & Open Data Policy
10th Anniversary of Landsat's Free & Open Data Policy
10th Anniversary of Landsat's Free & Open Data Policy

Leaders in the field of remote sensing discuss working with Landsat data since it began in 1972. With the change to a free and open policy 10 years ago, new and exciting possibilities have opened up.

Leaders in the field of remote sensing discuss working with Landsat data since it began in 1972. With the change to a free and open policy 10 years ago, new and exciting possibilities have opened up.

Landsat in Action - Advocating for Landsat with Kass Green
Landsat in Action - Advocating for Landsat with Kass Green
Landsat in Action - Advocating for Landsat with Kass Green

Kass Green talks about the role Landsat plays to help create high resolution maps, the benefits of the archive at EROS and the value of Landsat imagery to agencies throughout the government.
 

Kass Green talks about the role Landsat plays to help create high resolution maps, the benefits of the archive at EROS and the value of Landsat imagery to agencies throughout the government.
 

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