In September 2021, NASA launched a new satellite mission called Landsat 9, designed to collect data on the Earth’s land surface and vegetation over time. The mission is a collaboration between NASA and the United States Geological Survey (USGS), and it builds on a long history of Landsat missions that have been collecting data since 1972.
One key goal of the Landsat 9 mission is to provide data for scientific research and natural resource management. The data collected by the mission will be freely available to researchers, government agencies, and the public through the USGS EarthExplorer website. The data can be used for a wide range of applications, including monitoring deforestation, mapping urban growth, and tracking changes in the Earth’s polar regions.
In addition to collecting data on land use and vegetation, the Landsat 9 mission is also designed to monitor changes in the Earth’s climate over time. The data collected by the mission can be used to study the impacts of climate change on the Earth’s ecosystems, water resources, and other natural systems.