NLCD: Landscape Info Supporting Our Safety and Economic Well-being

The U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, is a global leader in land imaging, using remotely sensed data to track how Earth is changing. EROS provides reliable, science-based information to help decision-makers understand how shifts in land use, cover, and condition affect people and the environment.

This work is supported by an authoritative national archive of Earth observation data—housing more than 85 years of satellite and aerial records, including the complete Landsat collection. As the operational home of Landsat 8 and 9, EROS delivers daily observations that inform natural resource assessments, support national security, and help communities prepare for the future.

Eyes on Earth

Two men are working with equipment in a grassy area with trees and a building in the background and a road to the left

For this episode of our remote sensing podcast, we go to the field test site at EROS to see how the calibration/validation team validates the accuracy of the Landsat data.

Listen here

Image of the Week

Our latest video features a wildfire on the Greek island of Zakynthos in August 2025, one of many late summer fires in the Ionian Islands.

Watch here

EROS Quick Links

Find frequently visited webpages below.

News

November 19, 2025

Landsat 9 Returns to Normal Operations Following Brief Safehold

September 17, 2025

Landsat at Work: USGS Informing Domestic Lithium Development

September 15, 2025

Landsat at Work: Helping Farmers Keep Soil Healthy

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Publications

November 17, 2025

Absolute radiometric calibration evaluation of Uncrewed Aerial System (UAS) Headwall and MicaSense sensors and improving data quality using the Empirical Line Method Absolute radiometric calibration evaluation of Uncrewed Aerial System (UAS) Headwall and MicaSense sensors and improving data quality using the Empirical Line Method

The use of Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UASs) for remote sensing applications has increased significantly in recent years due to their low cost, operational flexibility, and rapid advancements in sensor technologies. In many cases, UAS platforms are considered viable alternatives to conventional satellite and crewed airborne platforms, offering very high spatial, spectral, and temporal...

Authors

Mahesh Shrestha, Victoria Scholl, Aparajithan Sampath, Jeffrey Irwin, Travis Kropuenske, Josip Adams, Matthew Burgess, Lance Brady

Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center

September 2, 2025

ECCOE Landsat quarterly calibration and validation report—Quarter 1, 2025 ECCOE Landsat quarterly calibration and validation report—Quarter 1, 2025

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, Nahid Hasan, Ashish Shrestha, Rajagopalan Rengarajan, Mark Lubke, Daniel Steinwand, Paul Bresnahan, Jerad L. Shaw, Kathryn Ruslander, Esad Micijevic, Michael J. Choate, Cody Anderson, Jeff Clauson, Kurt Thome, Ed Kaita, Amit Angal, Raviv Levy, Jeff Miller, Leibo Ding, Cibele Teixeira Pinto

National Land Imaging Program, Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center , EROS CalVal Center of Excellence (ECCOE), Landsat Missions

August 16, 2025

Evaluating the performance of multiple precipitation datasets over the transboundary Ili River Basin between China and Kazakhstan Evaluating the performance of multiple precipitation datasets over the transboundary Ili River Basin between China and Kazakhstan

The Ili River Basin is characterized by complex topography and diverse climatic zones with limited in situ observations. This study evaluates the performance of six widely used precipitation datasets, CHIRPS (Climate Hazards Group InfraRed Precipitation with Station data), ERA5_Land (European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts—ECMWF Reanalysis 5_Land), GPCC (Global Precipitation...

Authors

Baktybek Duisebek, Gabriel Senay, Dennis Ojima, Tibin Zhang, Janay Sagin, Xuejiao Wang

Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center

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Science

Satellite image of eastern South Dakota showing Sioux Falls, the USGS EROS Center, Sioux City, and the Missouri River.

September 25, 2025

ERS Multi-factor Authentication (MFA) – Passkey Help

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Registration System (ERS) centralizes all existing user profile and authentication for USGS EROS Web services into a single independent application. EROS Registration System (ERS) now offers an option of accessing accounts using a Multi-factor Authentication (MFA) passkey.

Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center

September 25, 2025