1. Mission Objectives and Applications
- The satellite’s multispectral capabilities enable it to observe a wide range of surface features, including vegetation health, water quality, and geological formations.
- Landsat-8 satellite is a part of the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and NASA Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS).
2. Technical Specifications
- The satellite is equipped with the Operational Land Imager (OLI) and the Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS). OLI captures data in visible, near-infrared, and shortwave infrared wavelengths, while TIRS focuses on thermal infrared wavelengths.
- Landsat-8 provides high-resolution imagery with a ground resolution of 30 meters for most bands. However, some specific bands, such as the panchromatic band, offer even finer resolutions, reaching up to 15 meters.
- Landsat-8 operates in a sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of approximately 705 kilometers (438 miles). This orbit allows it to pass over any point on Earth’s surface at the same local solar time.
- Landsat-8 was launched on the 11th of February 2013 from Vandenberg Air Force Base.
- The spacecraft can achieve a 185 km swath width.
3. Observation Frequency
- Landsat-8 captures images of the entire Earth’s surface every 16 days, providing a comprehensive and consistent dataset for monitoring changes.
4. Open Access Data
- Landsat-8 data is freely available to the public through the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and NASA Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS). This open data policy has facilitated widespread use of Landsat data for various scientific, environmental, and commercial applications.
5. API access
With our API, you can search data, track satellite passes, and more using Landsat-8.
References:
https://earth.esa.int/eogateway/missions/landsat-8
https://www.eoportal.org/satellite-missions/landsat-8-ldcm#spacecraft
Additional links:
https://app.spectator.earth/acquisition-plan