Landsat -- Satellites Capturing Environmental Data

Landsat is a satellite that monitors cartography, agriculture, forestry, geology, surveillance, regional planning, national security and education applications. But its main mission is to provide a detailed record of the global and environmental changes of the earth over the years. With over 40 years worth of data, the Landsat program is the longest continuous global record of the Earth's surface. There have been eight updates to the original Landsat. The newest one, Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM) 8, was launched on February 11th, 2013 from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

It takes Landsat 98.9 minutes to circle the Earth. Because it does a North to South rotation, around the poles, it takes a shorter amount of time then if it went around the equator. It makes that trip 15 times a day. By using a method similar to how you would vacuum your floor, it photographs the entire globe every 16 days. At the launch, the satellite weighed 4,566 lbs (2,071 kg) when it was fully loaded with fuel and without the instruments. Landsat is about 9.8 ft long and 7.9 ft in diameter.

The latest Landsat uses new technology, for example, solar panels and a Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS). The solar panels fold out from the satellite when it starts orbiting earth. Landsat also has a golden foil around it to reflect the heat off of, so its delicate insides don’t get damaged and the sun’s radiation doesn’t destroy it.

Landsat provides the satellite view of Google and Bing’s maps and Google Earth. It also helps people in agriculture; because of Landsat farmers don’t have to pay hundreds or maybe even thousands of dollars to send surveyors out to take pictures of their crops. The government uses Landsat to monitor national security. Geologists use it to examine rock faces and mountains.

Overall, Landsat is useful for many different people in different fields. Next time you use Google/Bing maps or your GPS, think about the amount of work and energy it took for one little satellite to go up into space so you can view your instructions.

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