Credit: NASA
Landsat 9, a joint mission between NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) that launched Sept. 27, 2021, has collected its first gentle photos of Earth.
The photographs, all acquired Oct. 31, are available online. They supply a preview of how the mission will assist individuals handle important pure assets and perceive the impacts of local weather change, including to Landsat’s unparalleled knowledge document that spans practically 50 years of space-based Earth statement.
“Landsat 9’s first photos seize vital observations about our altering planet and can advance this joint mission of NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey that gives vital knowledge about Earth’s landscapes and coastlines seen from area,” mentioned NASA Administrator Invoice Nelson. “This program has the confirmed energy to not solely enhance lives but additionally save lives. NASA will proceed to work with USGS to strengthen and enhance accessibility to Landsat knowledge so resolution makers in America – and world wide – higher perceive the devastation of the local weather disaster, handle agricultural practices, protect treasured assets and reply extra successfully to pure disasters.”
These first gentle photos reveals Detroit, Michigan, with neighboring Lake St. Clair, the intersection of cities and seashores alongside a altering Florida shoreline and pictures from Navajo Nation in Arizona that can add to the wealth of information serving to us monitor crop well being and handle irrigation water. The brand new photos additionally offered knowledge concerning the altering landscapes of the Himalayas in Excessive Mountain Asia and the coastal islands and shorelines of Northern Australia.
Landsat 9 is analogous in design to its predecessor, Landsat 8, which was launched in 2013 and stays in orbit, however options a number of enhancements. The brand new satellite tv for pc transmits knowledge with increased radiometric decision again right down to Earth, permitting it to detect extra delicate variations, particularly over darker areas like water or dense forests. For instance, Landsat 9 can differentiate greater than 16,000 shades of a given wavelength shade; Landsat 7, the satellite tv for pc being changed, detects solely 256 shades. This elevated sensitivity will enable Landsat customers to see way more delicate adjustments than ever earlier than.
“First gentle is an enormous milestone for Landsat customers – it’s the primary probability to actually see the sort of high quality that Landsat 9 gives. They usually look incredible,” mentioned Jeff Masek NASA’s Landsat 9 venture scientist at Goddard Area Flight Middle. “When we’ve got Landsat 9 working in coordination with Landsat 8, it’s going to be this wealth of information, permitting us to watch adjustments to our residence planet each eight days.”
Landsat 9 carries two devices that seize imagery: the Operational Land Imager 2 (OLI-2), which detects seen, near-infrared and shortwave-infrared gentle in 9 wavelengths, and the Thermal Infrared Sensor 2 (TIRS-2), which detects thermal radiation in two wavelengths to measure Earth’s floor temperatures and its adjustments.
These devices will present Landsat 9 customers with important details about crop well being, irrigation use, water high quality, wildfire severity, deforestation, glacial retreat, city growth, and extra.
“The info and pictures from Landsat 9 are increasing {our capability} to see how Earth has modified over a long time”, mentioned Karen St. Germain, Earth Science Division director at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “In a altering local weather, steady and free entry to Landsat knowledge, and the opposite knowledge in NASA’s Earth observing fleet, helps knowledge customers, together with metropolis planners, farmers and scientists, plan for the long run.”
NASA’s Landsat 9 crew is conducting a 100-day check-out interval that includes testing the satellite tv for pc’s programs and subsystems and calibrating its devices in preparation for handing the mission over to USGS in January. USGS will function Landsat 9 together with Landsat 8, and collectively the 2 satellites will gather roughly 1,500 photos of Earth’s floor day-after-day, overlaying the globe each eight days.
“The unimaginable first footage from the Landsat 9 satellite tv for pc are a glimpse into the info that can assist us make science-based selections on key points together with water use, wildfire impacts, coral reef degradation, glacier and ice-shelf retreat and tropical deforestation,” mentioned USGS Appearing Director Dr. David Applegate. “This historic second is the fruits of our lengthy partnership with NASA on Landsat 9’s growth, launch and preliminary operations, which can higher help environmental sustainability, local weather change resiliency and financial development – all whereas increasing an unparalleled document of Earth’s altering landscapes.”
Landsat 9 knowledge will probably be out there to the general public, without spending a dime, from USGS’s website as soon as the satellite tv for pc begins regular operations.
NASA manages the Landsat 9 mission growth. Groups from NASA’s Goddard Area Flight Middle in Greenbelt, Maryland, additionally constructed and examined the TIRS-2 instrument. NASA’s Launch Providers Program, based mostly on the company’s Kennedy Area Middle in Florida, managed the mission’s launch. The USGS Earth Sources Remark and Science (EROS) Middle will function the mission and handle the bottom system, together with sustaining the Landsat archive. Ball Aerospace in Boulder, Colorado, constructed and examined the OLI-2 instrument. United Launch Alliance is the rocket supplier for Landsat 9’s launch. Northrop Grumman in Gilbert, Arizona, constructed the Landsat 9 spacecraft, built-in it with devices, and examined it.
For extra info on Landsat 9 and the Landsat program, go to:
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Tylar Greene
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