The Landsat program is the longest-running enterprise for acquisition of satellite imagery of Earth. It is a joint NASA / USGS program. On 23 July 1972, the Earth Resources Technology Satellite was launched. This was eventually renamed to Landsat 1 in 1975. The most recent, Landsat 9, was launched on 27 September 2021.
Landsat 7 is the seventh satellite of the Landsat program. Launched on 15 April 1999, Landsat 7's primary goal is to refresh the global archive of satellite photos, providing up-to-date and cloud-free images. The Landsat program is managed and operated by the United States Geological Survey, and data from Landsat 7 is collected and distributed by the USGS. The NASA WorldWind project allows 3D images from Landsat 7 and other sources to be freely navigated and viewed from any angle. The satellite's companion, Earth Observing-1, trailed by one minute and followed the same orbital characteristics, but in 2011 its fuel was depleted and EO-1's orbit began to degrade. Landsat 7 was built by Lockheed Martin Space Systems.
Satellite images are images of Earth collected by imaging satellites operated by governments and businesses around the world. Satellite imaging companies sell images by licensing them to governments and businesses such as Apple Maps and Google Maps.
Landsat 3 is the third satellite of the Landsat program. It was launched on March 5, 1978, with the primary goal of providing a global archive of satellite imagery. Unlike later Landsat satellites, Landsat 3 was managed solely by NASA. Landsat 3 decommissioned on September 7, 1983, beyond its design life of one year. The data collected during Landsat 3's lifetime was used by 31 countries. Countries that cannot afford their own satellite are able to use the data for ecological preservation efforts and to determine the location of natural resources.
India's remote sensing program was developed with the idea of applying space technologies for the benefit of humankind and the development of the country. The program involved the development of three principal capabilities. The first was to design, build and launch satellites to a Sun-synchronous orbit. The second was to establish and operate ground stations for spacecraft control, data transfer along with data processing and archival. The third was to use the data obtained for various applications on the ground.
Cartosat-1 is a stereoscopic Earth observation satellite in a Sun-synchronous orbit, and the first one of the Cartosat series of satellites. The eleventh satellite of ISRO in Indian Remote Sensing Satellite (IRS) series. The satellite was launched by Indian Space Research Organisation and is operated by NTRO. Weighing around 1560 kg at launch, its applications will mainly be towards cartography in India.
Resourcesat-1 is an advanced remote sensing satellite built by Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). The tenth satellite of ISRO in IRS series, Resourcesat-1 is intended to not only continue the remote sensing data services provided by IRS-1C and IRS-1D, both of which have far outlived their designed mission lives, but also vastly enhance the data quality.
Landsat 2 is the second satellite of the Landsat program. The spacecraft originally carried a designation of ERTS-B but was renamed "Landsat 2" prior to its launch on January 22, 1975. The objective of the satellite was to acquire global, seasonal data in medium resolution from a near-polar, Sun-synchronous orbit. The satellite, built by General Electric, acquired data with the Return Beam Vidicon (RBV) and the Multispectral Scanner (MSS). Despite having a design life of one year, Landsat 2 operated for over seven years, finally ceasing operations on February 25, 1982.
Cartosat-2 is an Earth observation satellite in a Sun-synchronous orbit and the second of the Cartosat series of satellites. The satellite was built, launched and maintained by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). Weighing around 680 kg at launch, its applications will mainly be towards cartography in India. It was launched by the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle PSLV C7 launch vehicle on 10 January 2007.
Cartosat-2A is an Earth observation satellite in a Sun-synchronous orbit and the third of the Cartosat series of satellites. The satellite is the thirteenth satellite in the Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) satellite series to be built, launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation.
Resourcesat-2 is a follow on mission to Resourcesat-1 and the eighteenth Indian remote sensing satellite built by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The new satellite provides the same services as the original Resourcesat-1, but was also designed to "provide data with enhanced multispectral and spatial coverage". Compared to Resourcesat-1, LISS-4 multispectral swath has been enhanced from 23 km to 70 km based on user needs. Suitable changes including miniaturization in payload electronics have been incorporated in Resourcesat-2.
Cartosat-2B is an Earth observation satellite in a Sun-synchronous orbit and the fourth of the Cartosat series of satellites. The satellite is the seventeenth satellite in the Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) satellite series to be built by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
IRS-1D is the seventh satellite in Indian Remote Sensing satellite series of Earth Observation satellites, built, launched and maintained by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The satellite has similar capabilities as that of ISRO's IRS-1C satellite with some improvements added for better imagery particularly in thematic mapping.
IRS-P2 was an Earth observation satellite launched under the National Natural Resources Management System (NNRMS) programme undertaken by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The objectives of the mission were to provide spaceborne capability to India in observing and managing natural resources and utilizing them in a productive manner. The satellite carried imaging multi-spectral radiometers on board for radio sensing of the resources.
IRS-1C was the fifth remote sensing Indian satellite built, and designed by Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). IRS-1C is first second-generation operational Remote Sensing Satellite. The satellite carries payloads with enhanced capabilities like better spatial resolution additional spectral bands, improved repeatability and augment the remote sensing capability of the existing IRS-1A and IRS-1B.
IRS-1E was an Earth observation mission launched under the National Natural Resources Management System (NNRMS) programme by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). Sometimes written IRS-P1. The objective of the mission was to develop Earth imagery using instruments carried on board. Due to a malfunction of the launch vehicle, the satellite deviated from its path and plunged into the Indian Ocean.
IRS-1B, Indian Remote Sensing satellite-1B, the second of the series of indigenous state-of-art remote sensing satellites, was successfully launched into a polar Sun-synchronous orbit on 29 August 1991 from the Soviet Cosmodrome at Baikonur. IRS-1B carries two sensors, LISS-1 and LISS-2, with resolutions of 72 m (236 ft) and 36 m (118 ft) respectively with a swath width of about 140 km (87 mi) during each pass over the country. It was a part-operational, part-experimental mission to develop Indian expertise in satellite imagery. It was a successor to the remote sensing mission IRS-1A, both undertaken by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
Oceansat-1 or IRS-P4 was the first Indian satellite built primarily for ocean applications. It was a part of the Indian Remote Sensing Programme satellite series. The satellite carried an Ocean Colour Monitor (OCM) and a Multi-frequency Scanning Microwave Radiometer (MSMR) for oceanographic studies. Oceansat-1 thus vastly augment the IRS satellite system of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) comprising four satellites, IRS-1B, IRS-1C, IRS-P3 and IRS-1D and extend remote sensing applications to several newer areas.
PSLV-C5 was the fifth operational launch and overall eighth mission of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle program. This launch was also the fifty-second launch by the Indian Space Research Organisation (IRSO) since its first mission on 1 January 1962. The vehicle carried and injected India's remote sensing satellite Resourcesat-1 into a Sun-synchronous orbit; this was the heaviest and most sophisticated satellite built by IRSO through 2003. PSLV-C5 was launched at 04:52 hours Coordinated Universal Time on 17 October 2003 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre.
Resourcesat-2A is a follow on mission to Resourcesat-1 and Resourcesat-2 which were launched in October 2003 and in April 2011 respectively. The new satellite provides the same services as the other Resourcesat missions. It will give regular micro and macro information on land and water bodies below, farm lands and crop extent, forests, mineral deposits, coastal information, rural and urban spreads besides helping in disaster management.
