Source: US Geological Survey
What makes Landsat so valuable is its unmatched record, with more than 50 years of data about Earth’s land surface. And it’s all open to the public at no cost. This vital resource continues to monitor change in the world’s land masses and water resources.
This year, international reports echoed the message that Landsat is among the most impactful, quality-driven Earth observation imaging programs. Scroll down to read about two such reports.
Landsat data has long provided opportunities for improved monitoring and management of all of Earth’s landforms and ecosystems. From delicate mangroves and freshwater wetlands to mountainous forests damaged by fire and landmasses and ice sheets from pole to pole. Landsat is an invaluable resource, helping land managers and scientists evaluate the changes to land surfaces, and then determine the best step forward to mitigate or influence future land change.
Scroll through the stories below to learn how applying Landsat data enabled scientists to advance research in 2024.
Landsat’s reputation for top quality Earth observation capabilities helps strengthen the partnerships the USGS maintains with longstanding international collaborators. This year, important new agreements were signed relating to the future of Earth observation and the next Landsat mission. These partnerships are made possible by the Landsat 2030 International Partnership Initiative that was announced in late 2023.
Scroll down to read more about the new agreements, see highlights from a visiting international ambassador, and learn how international cooperators and their ground station operators keep informed about Landsat.
The new Landsat Next mission will help unlock new opportunities for research studies relating to water quality, crop production and plant stress, climate and snow dynamics, soil health and other essential environmental variables.
A significant milestone for the Landsat Next mission this year is the selection of a contractor to design, build, test, and deliver the sensors that will be on board the Landsat Next mission’s constellation of 3 identical satellites. Each sensor will collect Earth observation data in 26 spectral bands with high resolution. Overall, the constellation will collect about 20 times more data than Landsat 8 or Landsat 9.
Visit the links below to hear a podcast and view webpages to learn more about the Landsat Next mission.
After 25 years of orbiting around the Earth more than 132,000 times, the Landsat 7 mission is nothing short of legendary. The Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus sensor onboard the satellite captured over 3.3 million images. Move the slider back and forth on the image below to see the massive growth of the Las Vegas area from 1999 to 2024. The 2024 image marks the satellite’s 25th anniversary and stands as a tribute to Landsat 7’s quarter-century legacy of Earth observation.
Landsat 7 satellite images continue to support studies of how land is used and how it has changed across urban, agriculture, forest, snow, and ice-covered areas around the globe, as well as natural and manmade disasters.
The magnitude and impact that Landsat 7 brought to scientists and those interested in studying the Earth’s landmasses are summarized in this graphic.
Read the USGS News release about the Landsat 7 mission.
Events captured by Landsat 7
Landsat 7 witnessed events that changed the landscape on Earth slowly, such as the expanding Las Vegas urban sprawl shown above. Some of the significant events that changed the Earth much faster include the 2001 World Trade Center attack, the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and the Deepwater Horizon Oil Slick in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010.
The images and podcasts linked below provide just a glimpse into the 25 years of Landsat 7. From its launch in 1999 to sending down its final science mission data in 2024, this historic mission helped us appreciate and better understand Earth’s land surfaces.