A new airport was authorized for the Denver, Colorado, area in 1989. In 1995, the Denver International Airport officially opened and replaced the Stapleton International Airport servicing the Denver region.

Landsat satellite data illustrate the changes in the area from before the construction and after the new airport was completed. Denver International Airport covers 53 square miles, making it the largest airport in the United States and the third largest in the world. Located 25 miles from downtown Denver, it is the 10th busiest airport in the world.

The completion of the airport has had a significant effect on the immediate area. Hotels, manufacturing, and residential development have expanded, covering previous farm land. The growth has had a major impact on tax revenues and population needs for the Aurora, Colorado, community.

The Landsat data are used by regional and local officials to monitor the rate and direction of the expanded development caused by the siting of the airport.

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