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USGS - science for a changing world

Land Remote Sensing Program


The USGS is fostering the use of land remote sensing technology to meet local, national, and global challenges.

LRS Highlights

Landsat 8 - Going Operational

The Landsat Data Continuity Mission satellite, launched February 11, 2013, is now almost fully checked out. On May 29-30, NASA and the USGS will conduct a Post Launch Assessment Review and a Mission Transition Review at the USGS Climate and Land Use Change Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center in Sioux Falls, SD. Immediately following the reviews, NASA will transfer the satellite to the USGS, when it will officially become Landsat 8, with free data distribution slated to begin on May 31.

LDCM/Landsat 8 Sample Data available!

Data collected by the OLI and TIRS sensors aboard LDCM on March 18, 2013 is available for download: Read More....

First Images Released From Newest Earth Observation Satellite

NASA and the Department of the Interior's U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) have released the first images from the Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM) satellite, which was launched Feb. 11. Read More...

Interior Prepares to Conduct Landsat 8 Scientific Programs After Successful Launch of Latest Earth-Observing Satellite

VANDENBERG AFB, CA - Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar today joined NASA Administrator Charles F. Bolden, Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Water and Science Anne Castle, United States Geological Survey (USGS) Director Dr. Marcia McNutt and other Interior and NASA officials to launch the nation's newest Earth-observing satellite into space. Read More...

Landsat 5 Sets Guinness World Record For 'Longest Operating Earth Observation Satellite'

Landsat 5 successfully set the new Guinness World Records title for 'Longest-operating Earth observation satellite' as stated in an e-mail from Guinness World Records sent to NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. Outliving its three-year design life, Landsat 5 delivered high-quality, global data of Earth's land surface for 28 years and 10 months. Read More...

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Featured Science

Remote Sensing Activities Report

Remote Sensing Activities ReportThe Department of the Interior has released its remote sensing activities report for Fiscal Year 2011 (FY11). This report from the DOI Remote Sensing Working Group (DOIRSWG) provides a sampling of the many FY11 applications of remote sensing across the Department. Remotely sensed data, information, and resources contribute significantly to mission-critical work across the DOI. Spanning data sources from aerial photography, to moderate resolution satellite data, to highly specialized imaging sensors and platforms, DOI personnel use remotely sensing capabilities to evaluate and monitor land-surface conditions over the vast areas for which DOI has responsibility.

Landsat Improving Everyday Life

Landsat: Continuing to Improve Everyday LifeLandsat satellites provide decision makers with key information about the world's food, forests, water and how these and other land resources are being used. The Landsat Application Book, Landsat: Continuing to Improve Everyday Life (PDF, 101 Mb), explores a number of important everyday uses of Landsat that benefit us as a society. The launch of the LDCM satellite ensures that Landsat data will continue to enable these applications.

Visit the Latest Feature Science Archive page for information highlighted here in the past.

LDCM in Orbit


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Page Last Modified: May 16, 2013