Tags: LandSat, USGS, Earth Observation
Publication: MyFoxSpokane.com
Publication Date: 06/18/2013

Technicians encapsulate the Landsat 8 in its payload fairing in preparation for its launch. Image credit: NASA/VAFB

The U.S. Geological Survey’s Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) center collects, archives and makes available online more than 400 images of Earth every day. To address the operational and technical issues with collecting images from the Landsat 8 satellite, scientists and engineers from around the world are participating in the Landsat Ground Station Operators Working Group and the Landsat Technical Working Group this week. The meetings are taking place in Sioux Falls, S.D. where the Earth Resources Observation and Science Center is located.

Launched in February, the Landsat 8 is part of the Landsat program that for more than 40 years has aimed at documenting our planet. It was under NASA’s control until recently, when the agency handed it over to the EROS center to officially join the program.

The new satellite joins an ailing constellation that is starting to show its age. Some of the satellites are already failing while others lack the storage capacity needed for their onerous tasks. Landsat 8 presents a considerable improvement that will benefit the international community not just in terms of storage space but also with new instruments. The satellite is able to see deeper into water formations, detect cirrus clouds and correct atmospheric effects, and better read surface temperatures.

While the satellite can beam all its images back to the South Dakota repository, the international ground stations work as a backup and use their local expertise to help calibrate the imagery. The ground stations can also support the flight operations team with telemetry about the health of the satellite while it is circling the other side of Earth. The collaboration between the international ground stations and the USGS will be the main topics during the meetings this week.

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