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Landsat 7, launched April 15, 1999, introduced the Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus, and a new panchromatic band to continue the legacy of Earth Observation.
Landsat 7 was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California on April 15, 1999 on a Delta II rocket. The satellite carries the Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) sensor. This instrument was improved from previous instrumentation designs. The primary features on Landsat 7 include a panchromatic band with 15 meter spatial resolution, an onboard full aperture solar calibrator, five percent absolute radiometric calibration, and a thermal infrared channel with a four-fold improvement in spatial resolution over Thematic Mapper (TM). Since June 2003, the sensor has acquired and delivered data with data gaps caused by the Scan Line Corrector (SLC) failure.
In October 2008, USGS made all Landsat 7 data free to the global public; data downloads increased sixty-fold. About four months later, all Landsat data was made available at no cost.
In recognition of the 30th anniversary of the Landsat program in 2002, staff at USGS EROS selected some Landsat images to undergo creative enhancements. Forty of the most inspiring, beautiful satellite images were selected to be displayed in the online Earth as Art gallery. Several sets were framed and displayed in federal venues across the nation, including the underground hallways that connect the House and Senate office buildings in Washington, D.C. A part of the collection adorns the Mary W. Jackson NASA Headquarters’ walls, an honor usually reserved for manned spaceflight mission photos or Hubble Space Telescope images. There are now six Earth as Art Galleries available on the EROS website.
* These facts were applicable while the satellite was in nominal operations; please review the Landsat 7 End of Life section below on this webpage for current status.
Landsat 7 carries the Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) sensor, an improved version of the Thematic Mapper instruments that were onboard Landsat 4 and Landsat 5. Landsat 7 products are delivered as 8-bit images with 256 grey levels. Descriptions of Landsat 7 band designations and comparisons of all Landsat sensors are available.
Landsat 7 data products are consistent with all Landsat standard data products, using the specifications described on the Landsat Processing Details page.
On May 31, 2003, the Scan Line Corrector (SLC), which compensates for the forward motion of the satellite, failed. Subsequent efforts to recover the SLC were not successful, and the failure is permanent. Without an operating SLC, the sensor’s line of sight traces a zig-zag pattern along the satellite ground track.
As a result, the imaged area is duplicated, with a width that increases toward the edge of the scene. When the Level-1 data are processed, the duplicated areas are removed, leaving data gaps. Although these scenes only have 78 percent of their pixels remaining after the duplicated areas are removed, these data are still some of the most geometrically and radiometrically accurate of all civilian satellite data in the world.
Band-specific gap mask files are included with every Landsat 7 Scan Line Corrector (SLC)-off Level-1 data product. These ancillary data identify the location of all pixels affected by the original data gaps in the primary SLC-off scene. This webpage provides more details about these files: What are Landsat 7 SLC-off Gap Mask files.
A number of papers were written about the Landsat 7 Scan Line Corrector:
On February 7, 2017, the twentieth and final inclination (Delta-I) maneuver of Landsat 7 took place. (Delta-I maneuvers keep the spacecraft in the correct orbital position to ensure it maintains its 10:00 am ± 15 minutes mean local time (MLT) equatorial crossing.) Landsat 7 reached its peak outermost inclination boundary of 10:14:58 MLT on August 11, 2017. The chart below illustrates the inclination trend from June 2014 to June 2026. By the end of 2021, the satellite had a MLT of 9:00 am. This 2021 publication describes the research conducted into the science capability of Landsat 7 ETM+ data, while the satellite is drifting in orbit.
On April 6, 2022, the ETM+ sensor was placed into “stand-by” mode as a series of spacecraft burns were performed throughout the month of April to lower the satellite’s orbit by 8 kilometers (see illustration below). After entering the lower orbit, the Landsat 7 satellite will be available for servicing by NASA's On-Orbit Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing-1 (OSAM-1) mission. OSAM-1 will provide Landsat 7 with the needed fuel for a successful decommissioning.
Landsat 7 imaging resumed on May 5, 2022, at a lower orbit of 697 km after a series of maneuvers in early April lowered the satellite out of the standard 705km WRS-2 orbit. The USGS elected to continue science data acquisition from the Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) to assess the utility of imagery collected at the new lower orbit and earlier equatorial crossing time.
Since being lowered in orbit, the satellite has continued to drift within its orbit, exposing it to periods of full sunlight and earlier imaging times, impacting imaging opportunities and the ability to process valid science data. In January 2024, the satellite’s moved into full sunlight, which causes issues with the batteries. To retain the health and safety of the batteries, imaging was suspended on January 19, 2024. The satellite will remain in full sunlight until mid-April 2024.
The Landsat 7 Extended Science Mission webpage describes the properties of the data, and activities done by Calibration/Validation and science teams to ensure the quality of the data remains nominal.
Note: The Product Identifier for each scene contains the acquisition date, so Landsat 7 scenes collected at the lower orbit can be identified by searching for Landsat 7 data acquired May 4, 2022 - forward.
Landsat 7 History (NASA Landsat)
The Enhanced Thematic Mapper (NASA Landsat)
The Living Legacy of Landsat 7: Still Going Strong after 20 Years in Orbit (NASA)
Landsat Archive Adds 10 Millionth Image (USGS)
Successful Maneuver Spells Beginning of the End for Landsat 7 (USGS)
Landsat 8 Underfly with Landsat 7: In March 2013, the Landsat 8 satellite was in position under Landsat 7 to collect near-coincident data for calibration activities.
Landsat 7 Image of the Southern Fringe of the Rub' al-Khali Sand Desert near Al-Hashman, Oman. This gap-filled image was captured on January 18, 2024 and is shown using the shortwave infrared, near infrared and red bands (Bands 5|4|3).
To learn more about the Landsat Program visit www.usgs.gov/landsat
Landsat 7 Image of the Southern Fringe of the Rub' al-Khali Sand Desert near Al-Hashman, Oman. This gap-filled image was captured on January 18, 2024 and is shown using the shortwave infrared, near infrared and red bands (Bands 5|4|3).
To learn more about the Landsat Program visit www.usgs.gov/landsat
This color infrared image of Southeast South Dakota was advertised as the first image acquired by Landsat 7's Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) sensor on April 18, 1999. The Missouri River flows from the middle left of the image, to the lower right, where the Fort Randall Dam creates Lake Francis Case.
This color infrared image of Southeast South Dakota was advertised as the first image acquired by Landsat 7's Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) sensor on April 18, 1999. The Missouri River flows from the middle left of the image, to the lower right, where the Fort Randall Dam creates Lake Francis Case.
Just recently, in mid-July, the flight operations team charged with keeping the Landsat 7 satellite running smoothly achieved a major milestone. They have gone 8 straight years now without an operator error.
Just recently, in mid-July, the flight operations team charged with keeping the Landsat 7 satellite running smoothly achieved a major milestone. They have gone 8 straight years now without an operator error.
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 7 satellite image from February 1, 2018, acquired on Landsat 7's 100,000th orbit.
Landsat 7 satellite image from February 1, 2018, acquired on Landsat 7's 100,000th orbit.
Landsat 7 was successfully launched on April 15, 1999, from the Western Test Range of Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, on a Delta II expendable launch vehicle. EROS History Project
Landsat 7 was successfully launched on April 15, 1999, from the Western Test Range of Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, on a Delta II expendable launch vehicle. EROS History Project
This pan sharpened color infrared image of Sioux Falls, South Dakota is from the first scene acquired by Landsat 7's Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) sensor on April 18, 1999. The image is shown using the near infrared, red, and green bands (Bands 4,3,2).
This pan sharpened color infrared image of Sioux Falls, South Dakota is from the first scene acquired by Landsat 7's Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) sensor on April 18, 1999. The image is shown using the near infrared, red, and green bands (Bands 4,3,2).
Since 1972, Landsat satellites have continually acquired data about the Earth’s land surface. On November 23, 2021, the Landsat Archive that stores this vital record added its ten millionth scene.
Landsat 7 Image of the Southern Fringe of the Rub' al-Khali Sand Desert near Al-Hashman, Oman. This gap-filled image was captured on January 18, 2024 and is shown using the shortwave infrared, near infrared and red bands (Bands 5|4|3).
To learn more about the Landsat Program visit www.usgs.gov/landsat
Landsat 7 Image of the Southern Fringe of the Rub' al-Khali Sand Desert near Al-Hashman, Oman. This gap-filled image was captured on January 18, 2024 and is shown using the shortwave infrared, near infrared and red bands (Bands 5|4|3).
To learn more about the Landsat Program visit www.usgs.gov/landsat
This color infrared image of Southeast South Dakota was advertised as the first image acquired by Landsat 7's Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) sensor on April 18, 1999. The Missouri River flows from the middle left of the image, to the lower right, where the Fort Randall Dam creates Lake Francis Case.
This color infrared image of Southeast South Dakota was advertised as the first image acquired by Landsat 7's Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) sensor on April 18, 1999. The Missouri River flows from the middle left of the image, to the lower right, where the Fort Randall Dam creates Lake Francis Case.
Just recently, in mid-July, the flight operations team charged with keeping the Landsat 7 satellite running smoothly achieved a major milestone. They have gone 8 straight years now without an operator error.
Just recently, in mid-July, the flight operations team charged with keeping the Landsat 7 satellite running smoothly achieved a major milestone. They have gone 8 straight years now without an operator error.
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 7 satellite image from February 1, 2018, acquired on Landsat 7's 100,000th orbit.
Landsat 7 satellite image from February 1, 2018, acquired on Landsat 7's 100,000th orbit.
Landsat 7 was successfully launched on April 15, 1999, from the Western Test Range of Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, on a Delta II expendable launch vehicle. EROS History Project
Landsat 7 was successfully launched on April 15, 1999, from the Western Test Range of Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, on a Delta II expendable launch vehicle. EROS History Project
This pan sharpened color infrared image of Sioux Falls, South Dakota is from the first scene acquired by Landsat 7's Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) sensor on April 18, 1999. The image is shown using the near infrared, red, and green bands (Bands 4,3,2).
This pan sharpened color infrared image of Sioux Falls, South Dakota is from the first scene acquired by Landsat 7's Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) sensor on April 18, 1999. The image is shown using the near infrared, red, and green bands (Bands 4,3,2).
Since 1972, Landsat satellites have continually acquired data about the Earth’s land surface. On November 23, 2021, the Landsat Archive that stores this vital record added its ten millionth scene.
