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

Browse examples from energy to agriculture

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Landsat's Economic Value Increases to $25.6 Billion in 2023

A new report details additional billions of indirect benefits

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Landsat Benefits, State by State

How does your state use Landsat data?

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AI Improving USGS Science and Efficiency

New techniques made reinvention of Annual NLCD possible

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Eyes on Earth

Eyes on Earth is a podcast on remote sensing, Earth observation, land change and science, brought to you by the USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center.

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Landsat satellites - A Pillar of Land Remote Sensing

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Helping the World Through Science

Billions of people live unaware of a far-off USGS facility working every day to improve their lives

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Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center

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

A background photo of a pool of water with a natural fountain in an area surrounded by evergreens, plus two men's mugshots

This episode of our remote sensing podcast explores how Landsat’s thermal data helps monitor the Yellowstone National Park area.

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Earthshots

cards layered on top of each other. Earthshots logo in top right

Explore real-world change on Earth, revealed through before-and-after satellite views.

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EROS Quick Links

Find frequently visited webpages below.

News

Latest in Landsat - January 2026 - Vol. 5 | Issue 1

Latest in Landsat - January 2026 - Vol. 5 | Issue 1

Landsat in 2025: Milestones Continue the Mission's Legacy

Landsat in 2025: Milestones Continue the Mission's Legacy

Satellite Data and Science Abound in 2025

Satellite Data and Science Abound in 2025

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Publications

ECCOE Landsat Quarterly Calibration and Validation Report—Quarter 2, 2025 ECCOE Landsat Quarterly Calibration and Validation Report—Quarter 2, 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, Amit Angal, Raviv Levy, Jeff Miller, Leibo Ding, Cibele Teixeira Pinto
By
National Land Imaging Program, Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center , EROS CalVal Center of Excellence (ECCOE), Landsat Missions

A laboratory-based spectrometer intercomparison for the measurement of snow spectra A laboratory-based spectrometer intercomparison for the measurement of snow spectra

Seasonal snow is an integral component of global hydrological systems, global energy budget and Earth's climate. As an important part of many Earth systems, seasonal snow is also an essential source of water for many human populations and ecosystems around the world. As such, the measurement of seasonal snow and characterization of uncertainty in those measurements is crucial. To...
Authors
Benjamin M. Roberts-Pierel, Christopher J. Crawford, Steven W. Brown, Raymond F. Kokaly, Kelly E. Gleason, Anne W. Nolin, Edward H. Bair, Brenton A. Wilder, Anton J. Surunis, S. McKenzie K. Skiles, Joachim Meyer, Allyson E. Fitts, Jeremy M. Johnston, Adam G. Hunsaker, Martin Steufer, Trond Løke
By
Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center

Evaluating Three-Dimensional Elevation Program lidar consistency and accuracy at scale using cloud-native, open-source methods Evaluating Three-Dimensional Elevation Program lidar consistency and accuracy at scale using cloud-native, open-source methods

The U.S. Geological Survey three-dimensional elevation program (3DEP) has significantly expanded national lidar coverage, necessitating scalable, reproducible methods for assessing data quality across diverse terrains and acquisition conditions. This study introduces a cloud-native, open-source workflow designed to evaluate the geometric accuracy and consistency of 3DEP lidar data sets...
Authors
Aparajithan Sampath, Jeffrey Irwin, Jason M. Stoker
By
Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center
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Science

Satellite image of a river and mountains

Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center

The Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center (LP DAAC) operates as a partnership between the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) dedicated to enabling natural resource managers, disaster responders, academia, and industry to investigate, characterize, and monitor land surface processes.
By
Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center
Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center

Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center

The Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center (LP DAAC) operates as a partnership between the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) dedicated to enabling natural resource managers, disaster responders, academia, and industry to investigate, characterize, and monitor land surface processes.
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A background photo of a pool of water with a natural fountain in an area surrounded by evergreens, plus two men's mugshots

Eyes on Earth Episode 137 – Landsat Takes Yellowstone’s Temperature

How do you keep track of thousands of hot spots in an area the size of Yellowstone National Park? Check out thermal satellite data like Landsat’s!
By
Core Science Systems Mission Area, National Land Imaging Program, Astrogeology Science Center, Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center , Yellowstone Volcano Observatory, Yellowstone, Landsat Missions
Eyes on Earth Episode 137 – Landsat Takes Yellowstone’s Temperature

Eyes on Earth Episode 137 – Landsat Takes Yellowstone’s Temperature

How do you keep track of thousands of hot spots in an area the size of Yellowstone National Park? Check out thermal satellite data like Landsat’s!
Learn More
Satellite image of eastern South Dakota showing Sioux Falls, the USGS EROS Center, Sioux City, and the Missouri River.

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.
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Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center
ERS Multi-factor Authentication (MFA) – Passkey Help

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.
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