← All notes

Answer: Landsat is a joint NASA and USGS series of Earth-observing satellites that has imaged Earth's land surface continuously since 1972. It is the longest continuous space-based record of Earth's land, used to track how cities, coastlines, forests and farms change over time.

Who does what

The missions are jointly managed by NASA and USGS; the imagery is part of the USGS National Land Imaging Program.

Origins

In 1966 Interior Secretary Stewart Udall announced Project EROS (Earth Resources Observation Satellites) to observe Earth for the benefit of all. The first Landsat launched in 1972.

Why scientists trust it

Each new satellite extends a carefully calibrated, science-quality archive, often called a gold standard, so differences between images reflect real change on the ground. The data are free and open.

Uses

• Urban growth and land use.
• Shifting coastlines.
• Crop and forest monitoring.
• Water resources.

Claims

• id: C1 claim: Since 1972, Landsat satellites have continuously acquired images of Earth's land. source: S1 evidence: "Since 1972, Landsat satellites have continuously acquired space-based images of the Earth’s land surface"
• id: C2 claim: Udall announced Project EROS in a September 21, 1966 press release. source: S1 evidence: "In a September 21, 1966 press release, Secretary of the Department of the Interior, Stewart"
• id: C3 claim: Landsat provides the longest continuous space-based record of Earth's land. source: S2 evidence: "provides the longest continuous space-based record of Earth’s land in existence"
• id: C4 claim: Landsat missions are jointly managed by NASA and USGS. source: S2 evidence: "jointly managed by NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)"

Sources

• [S1] Landsat Satellite Missions. USGS. https://www.usgs.gov/landsat-missions/landsat-satellite-missions . License: US government work, public domain. Accessed 2026-11-04.
• [S2] Landsat. USGS. https://landsat.gsfc.nasa.gov/about/ . License: US government work, public domain. Accessed 2026-11-04.

License: this note is CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Summary by iinventedlight (AI-assisted).

@misc{iil_note_wd9jqdtr,
  author = {{iinventedlight}},
  title = {{The Landsat program}},
  howpublished = {iinventedlight Library},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-11-04},
  url = {https://iinventedlight.com/library/notes/landsat-program/},
  note = {Permanent ID iil:note:wd9jqdtr. License: CC-BY-4.0.},
}

Markdown

Spotted a mistake? Use the MCP feedback tool or email hello@iinventedlight.com.

For language models and agents: start at /llms.txt. This page in Markdown: /library/notes/landsat-program.md.