The Operational Land Imager (OLI) onboard the Landsat 9 satellite captured this image of the White Sands National Park on May 13, 2024.
Multimedia
Images
Landsat 9 Image of White Sands National Park
The Operational Land Imager (OLI) onboard the Landsat 9 satellite captured this image of the White Sands National Park on May 13, 2024.
Ivanpah Playa Test Site
The Ivanpah Playa test site is a dry lakebed located in the Mohave Desert along the border of California and Nevada.
The Ivanpah Playa test site is a dry lakebed located in the Mohave Desert along the border of California and Nevada.
Baotou Sand Test Site
The Baotou Sand Test Site was established to assess the radiometric and spectral performance of high spatial resolution sensor payloads on airborne and satellite platforms. Located at Urad Qianqi, Inner Mongolia in northern China, the site is ∼1270 meters (m) above sea level. The site
The Baotou Sand Test Site was established to assess the radiometric and spectral performance of high spatial resolution sensor payloads on airborne and satellite platforms. Located at Urad Qianqi, Inner Mongolia in northern China, the site is ∼1270 meters (m) above sea level. The site
Chart of Commercial, Government-Civil Satellites Launched
This chart shows the number of commercial and government/civil satellites launched each year since 1972. Visit the Earth Observing Satellites webpage for more information.
This chart shows the number of commercial and government/civil satellites launched each year since 1972. Visit the Earth Observing Satellites webpage for more information.
Countries with Earth Observing Satellites
The numbers on this map indicate the number of commercial and/or government/civil satellites launched by the highlighted countries. This image will be updated as needed, when information about new satellites is received. Visit the Earth Observing Satellites webpage for more information.
The numbers on this map indicate the number of commercial and/or government/civil satellites launched by the highlighted countries. This image will be updated as needed, when information about new satellites is received. Visit the Earth Observing Satellites webpage for more information.
Spectral Bandpasses for all Landsat Sensors
This image shows the spectral bandpasses for the sensors on all Landsat satellites.
This image shows the spectral bandpasses for the sensors on all Landsat satellites.
Videos
Watering the Sahara
In a remote part of the Sahara Desert in Egypt, center pivot irrigation fields fill the landscape. Thanks to the Landsat archive, we can see how dramatically this area has changed over the last 35 years. But until the growth in irrigation, this part of the world hadn't changed much from a satellite's perspective.
In a remote part of the Sahara Desert in Egypt, center pivot irrigation fields fill the landscape. Thanks to the Landsat archive, we can see how dramatically this area has changed over the last 35 years. But until the growth in irrigation, this part of the world hadn't changed much from a satellite's perspective.
Landsat's Calibration and Validation
Engineers and scientists from both Landsat and Sentinel missions are working together to calibrate observation data and validate its quality to improve the science using these resources.
Engineers and scientists from both Landsat and Sentinel missions are working together to calibrate observation data and validate its quality to improve the science using these resources.
Every Pixel - Landsat's Sensors
On board Landsat 8 are two sensors that capture data about earth's surface. Here is an explanation of the instruments that capture every pixel.
On board Landsat 8 are two sensors that capture data about earth's surface. Here is an explanation of the instruments that capture every pixel.
Every Pixel - Processing Data
Once the ground stations receive data from Landsat, there's still a lot of processing to make every pixel usable. Here's an overview of some of that work.
Once the ground stations receive data from Landsat, there's still a lot of processing to make every pixel usable. Here's an overview of some of that work.
Audio
Eyes on Earth Episode 74 – A Satellite Cross Calibration Mission
When the first Landsat satellite launched 50 years ago, it was the only game in town in terms of civilian land remote sensing. In the years that followed, a host of satellites have launched to serve similar purposes. But that data doesn't always play well together.
When the first Landsat satellite launched 50 years ago, it was the only game in town in terms of civilian land remote sensing. In the years that followed, a host of satellites have launched to serve similar purposes. But that data doesn't always play well together.
Eyes on Earth Episode 32 - Lunar Calibration
Calibration teams at the USGS EROS Center use a variety of methods to make sure the data collected by Landsat satellites are an accurate representation of the Earth’s surface.
Calibration teams at the USGS EROS Center use a variety of methods to make sure the data collected by Landsat satellites are an accurate representation of the Earth’s surface.
Eyes on Earth Episode 4 - Cataloging Earth Observation Satellites
Earth observation used to be the province of a handful of countries with satellite technology. Today, hundreds of satellites built all over the world are launched every year. This episode of Eyes on Earth talks about the explosive growth in the civilian and commercial remote sensing and EROS’ role in it.
Earth observation used to be the province of a handful of countries with satellite technology. Today, hundreds of satellites built all over the world are launched every year. This episode of Eyes on Earth talks about the explosive growth in the civilian and commercial remote sensing and EROS’ role in it.