NASA Video: Recap of a Successful Launch - Landsat 8, May 19, 2013
Landsat 8 celebrates its tenth anniversary this week on Saturday, February 11, 2023. The technology of the satellite and its instruments, revolutionary in 2013, continues to provide important and timely data for scientific observation of the Earth’s land surfaces. Landsat 8 continues to image the Earth with Landsat 9 and Landsat 7. Landsat 8 was also the first Landsat satellite to allow everyone in the world fully free and open access to its data from first light!
Landsat 8 is a satellite mission developed and operated by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The mission was launched on February 11, 2013, with the objective of providing continuous imagery of the Earth's land surface and coastal regions.
Landsat 8 is the eighth satellite in the Landsat series, which began with the launch of Landsat 1 in 1972. The Landsat program is one of the longest-running satellite missions dedicated to observing and monitoring the Earth's surface, providing valuable data for a variety of applications, including resource management, environmental monitoring, and disaster response.
NASA Goddard: Landsat 8 - A Decade of Service
The Landsat 8 satellite carries two primary instruments: the Operational Land Imager (OLI) and the Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS). These instruments provide high-resolution images of the Earth's surface in visible, near-infrared, and thermal infrared bands, allowing scientists to monitor changes in the land surface over time and to study the characteristics of different types of land cover and land use.
USGS: Landsat 8 Swath Animation
Since its launch, Landsat 8 has been providing a wealth of data to scientists, land managers, and policy makers around the world. The data from the satellite is freely available to the public and is widely used for a variety of purposes, including mapping and monitoring of natural resources, urban growth, and land use change. With its ability to provide continuous coverage of the Earth's surface, Landsat 8 is playing an important role in understanding the changes happening to our planet and working towards a sustainable future.
USGS: Anatomy of Landsat 8