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Located at the USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center in South Dakota, the Data Processing and Archive System receives Landsat data collected through the Landsat Ground Network. The data are validated, cataloged, processed into standard Landsat science products, and preserved in the USGS Landsat archive for worldwide distribution.
Return to the Landsat Satellite and Ground-Systems Operations Overview webpage
The USGS EROS Data Processing and Archive System (DPAS) is responsible for generating, storing and distributing all Landsat products. DPAS archives Landsat mission data according to the Information Management Services (IMS) Archive Policy. This policy ensures all data are permanently preserved by keeping a copy at the National Archive and Records Administration (NARA) facility, in an offline archive and a near-line archive.
DPAS relies on the systems and processes below to ensure consistent high-quality Landsat Level-1 products are typically generated and made available 4 to 6 hours after data acquisition.
The Landsat Image Assessment System (IAS) is a specialized software and engineering system that checks product quality and monitors Landsat sensor performance throughout the life of each mission. As a part of the Landsat Calibration and Validation activities, the IAS monitors and characterizes Landsat instrument performance and supports the radiometric and geometric calibration of Landsat data. The IAS also assesses the quality of the generated products by testing and updating calibration parameters used to create radiometrically and geometrically corrected products.
The IAS characterizes radiometric and geometric artifacts and captures characterization statistics in a relational database for trending, analysis, modeling, and calibration. The IAS processes up to 75 scenes per day. The IAS generates and maintains calibration information and makes several auxiliary datasets available to support product generation:
The Landsat Product Generation System (LPGS) processes raw data from Landsat satellites and generates standardized, high-quality standard operational products:
Each day, the LPGS identifies new data in the Landsat inventory and verifies all necessary auxiliary data are available, applies the needed calibration parameters, and creates a final Level-1 product. Each Level-1 product includes image data stored in a 16-bit unsigned integer format, and includes quality assessment, sun angle and view angle files, browse images, and metadata files. Visit the Landsat Level-1 Processing Details webpage to view the parameters of Level-1 processing.
The LPGS provides metadata to the USGS inventory for product tracking and to support search and order capabilities through the USGS EROS data access webpages.
Landsat Level-2 science products are generated from Level-1 data using additional auxiliary information and advanced scientific processing algorithms. These products include Surface Reflectance, which reduces the influence of atmospheric scattering and absorption, providing an estimate of surface reflectance, and Surface Temperature, which estimates the temperature of Earth's surface.
Landsat Level-3 science products, such as Burned Area, Dynamic Surface Water Extent, and Fractional Snow Covered Area, are analysis-ready products derived from Landsat U.S. Analysis Ready Data. They make it easier to evaluate landscape conditions and changes over time.
Visit the Landsat Science Products webpage to access the technical details about how all Landsat products are generated.
Landsat Archive and Access (A&A) stores all generated products with accurate metadata and makes them available to the public through the USGS EROS data access portals and the Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud platform. The Landsat archive contains nearly 16 petabytes (PB) of data and requires daily management. Any delay in data reception or processing affects product availability.
Landsat Level-1 products are typically available within 4 to 6 hours of acquisition. Level-2 products are generated after scenes enter Tier 1 or Tier 2 and the required auxiliary data become available. Level-3 production schedules vary by product and input-data availability.
Visit the Landsat Data Access webpage to learn more about accessing Landsat products.
This video covers EarthExplorer, or EE, which allows users to search for satellite and aerial imagery, preview browse images, export metadata, and download earth science data from the archives of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) center. In this tutorial users will learn how to define an area of interest (AOI), refine your search using additional...
The USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center maintains the largest civilian collection of images of the Earth’s land surface. At EROS we study land change and produce land change data products used by researchers, resource managers, and policymakers across the nation and around the world.
The USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center maintains the largest civilian collection of images of the Earth’s land surface. At EROS we study land change and produce land change data products used by researchers, resource managers, and policymakers across the nation and around the world.
Landsat Collection 2 Level-2 Surface Reflectance and Surface Temperature products require Landsat Level-1 data that have been processed to Tier 1 or Tier 2 products, as well as additional auxiliary data. The Landsat Collection 2 Product Generation Timeline below gives a graphical view of this typical product generation timeframe. The timeframe for Landsat Collection 2 product generation varies due...
There are several Landsat Collection 2 products that are useful for science applications and land use/land change studies: Landsat Level-1 Products - Each Level-1 product includes individual spectral band files, a metadata file, and additional ancillary files. Level-1 products are available for all global landmasses. Landsat U.S. Analysis Ready Data (ARD) - U.S. ARD uses Landsat Level-1 data as...
Landsat data products held in the USGS archives can be searched and downloaded at no charge from a variety of sources. Visit Landsat Data Access for information about how Landsat data products can be downloaded individually or in bulk. Landsat imagery not found in the USGS archive might have been collected by one of the USGS International Cooperator ground stations, each of which are the primary...
Landsat data continue to be freely available through traditional USGS tools such as EarthExplorer, but if you prefer to access the data in the cloud, an Amazon Web Services (AWS) account is required. Landsat data are available in the cloud via the AWS Oregon us-west-2 region. There is no charge for the Landsat data, but charges from the cloud vendor might apply for any storage, processing, and...
Yes. Regardless of where the USGS has stored the files, Landsat data are controlled by the USGS and considered to be an official USGS record in the public domain. Permission is not required for use. We do request that you acknowledge the USGS as the source. Learn More: USGS Copyrights and Credits statement Landsat Commercial Cloud Data Access
This video covers EarthExplorer, or EE, which allows users to search for satellite and aerial imagery, preview browse images, export metadata, and download earth science data from the archives of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) center. In this tutorial users will learn how to define an area of interest (AOI), refine your search using additional...
The USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center maintains the largest civilian collection of images of the Earth’s land surface. At EROS we study land change and produce land change data products used by researchers, resource managers, and policymakers across the nation and around the world.
The USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center maintains the largest civilian collection of images of the Earth’s land surface. At EROS we study land change and produce land change data products used by researchers, resource managers, and policymakers across the nation and around the world.
Landsat Collection 2 Level-2 Surface Reflectance and Surface Temperature products require Landsat Level-1 data that have been processed to Tier 1 or Tier 2 products, as well as additional auxiliary data. The Landsat Collection 2 Product Generation Timeline below gives a graphical view of this typical product generation timeframe. The timeframe for Landsat Collection 2 product generation varies due...
There are several Landsat Collection 2 products that are useful for science applications and land use/land change studies: Landsat Level-1 Products - Each Level-1 product includes individual spectral band files, a metadata file, and additional ancillary files. Level-1 products are available for all global landmasses. Landsat U.S. Analysis Ready Data (ARD) - U.S. ARD uses Landsat Level-1 data as...
Landsat data products held in the USGS archives can be searched and downloaded at no charge from a variety of sources. Visit Landsat Data Access for information about how Landsat data products can be downloaded individually or in bulk. Landsat imagery not found in the USGS archive might have been collected by one of the USGS International Cooperator ground stations, each of which are the primary...
Landsat data continue to be freely available through traditional USGS tools such as EarthExplorer, but if you prefer to access the data in the cloud, an Amazon Web Services (AWS) account is required. Landsat data are available in the cloud via the AWS Oregon us-west-2 region. There is no charge for the Landsat data, but charges from the cloud vendor might apply for any storage, processing, and...
Yes. Regardless of where the USGS has stored the files, Landsat data are controlled by the USGS and considered to be an official USGS record in the public domain. Permission is not required for use. We do request that you acknowledge the USGS as the source. Learn More: USGS Copyrights and Credits statement Landsat Commercial Cloud Data Access