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When it launched in July 1972, Landsat 1 began a half-century long mission to help land managers and policymakers make informed decisions. Named Earth Resources Technology Satellite (ERTS-1) when it launched, Landsat 1 was the first civilian Earth observation satellite. Designed to operate for one year, it surpassed expectations by collecting images for 5 ½ years. 

Learn more about Landsat 1

Type

Earth Observation Satellite

Launch

July 23, 1972

Objective

Continuously acquire imagery of Earth’s land surface for environmental and resource management
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) provides science for a changing world, which reflects and responds to society’s continuously evolving needs. The USGS brings an array of earth, water, biological, and mapping data and expertise in support of decision-making on environmental, resource, and public safety issues.
Learn more about Landsat 1 with the USGS
United States Geological Survey (USGS) Logo

Instruments Aboard Landsat 1

Instrument Name Operational Date(s) Spectral Resolution Type of Instrument
Multispectral Scanner (MSS) July 1972–Oct 1999; June 2012–Jan 2013

0.5 µm to 1.1 µm

 Spectrometer/Radiometer
Return Beam Vidicon (RBV) March 1978 to March 1983 Photon/Optical Detector

Related Platforms

Landsat 2

Landsat 2 continued Landsat 1's legacy and established continuous observation from the same vantage point and collected data for 7 years.

Landsat 3

Landsat 3 launched a little over 3 years after Landsat 2, with improved instrument technology and a mission to continue Landsat observations.
Landsat 4

Landsat 4 was launched with the Multispectral Scanner (MSS) and a new advanced imaging sensor, Thematic Mapper (TM).
Landsat 5

Landsat 5 transmitted over 2.5 million images of Earth over the course of 28 years.
Landsat 7

Landsat 7 marked history when data from the satellite became free to the global public.
Landsat 8

Landsat 8 launched with two new instruments, Operational Land Imager (OLI) and the Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS)
Landsat 9

Landsat 9 carries the same instruments as Landsat 8: Operational Land Imager 2 (OLI-2) and Thermal Infrared Sensor 2 (TIRS-2)

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