Steve Cole
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-0918
stephen.e.cole@nasa.gov
Jon Campbell
U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Va.
703-648-4180
joncampbell@usgs.gov
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RELEASE 13-283
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NASA Launches Study of New Global Land Imaging System
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NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) will kick off a quest for an
innovative and affordable space-based system to extend the Landsat satellite
data record for decades to come with a public forum and call for ideas
Wednesday, Sept. 18.
The Sustainable Land Imaging Architecture Study Industry and Partner Day will
take place from 1-4:30 p.m. EDT in the NASA Headquarters Webb Auditorium at
300 E St. SW in Washington. Following this public forum, NASA will release a
request for information to seek new ideas on the design of such a system.
In April, the Obama Administration directed NASA to conduct the study as part
of its initiative to create for the first time a long-term, sustainable
system in space to provide Landsat-quality global observations for at least
the next 20 years. The Sustainable Land Imaging Program, announced in
President Obama's proposed fiscal year 2014 budget, directs NASA to lead the
overall system architecture study with participation from USGS.
Representatives of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy,
NASA and USGS will present details of the study process and planning timeline
during the public forum.
"We are looking for system design solutions that spur innovation and increase
efficiencies, making use of aerospace expertise from across the government
and commercial aerospace sector," said David Jarrett, study lead in the Earth
Science Division of NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. "We
will evaluate a range of solutions, including large and small dedicated
spacecraft, formation flying, hosted payloads, and international and private
sector collaborations."
"Landsat data are used by a broad range of specialists to assess some of the
world’s most critical issues -- the food, water, forests, and other natural
resources needed for a growing world population.” said Matt Larsen, USGS
associate director for climate and land use change. "We are happy to
participate in the NASA study to help develop and refine the long-term future
of this program, while at the same time recognizing that it is vital that we
maintain our Landsat observational capabilities over the short-term to ensure
that no data gap occurs."
The objective of the Sustainable Land Imaging study is to design an approach
to develop space-based systems that can provide continuous Landsat-quality
data for at least 20 years and be sustained in a tight federal budget
environment. The system is planned to continue the 41-year-old Landsat data
record, which was assembled with a series of single satellites implemented
one at a time.
The most recent addition to the long-running series, Landsat 8, launched in
February, is performing well. Landsat 7, launched in 1999 and now operating
with limited redundancy and a waning fuel supply, could fail or run out of
fuel in the next few years. Both satellites were developed and launched by
NASA. The spacecraft are operated by the USGS, which is responsible for
generating, archiving, and distributing a range of standard products based on
the spaceborne measurements.
The Landsat program provides continuous global, moderate-resolution
measurements of land and coastal regions, providing humanity's longest record
of our planet from space. Landsat data provide a consistent and reliable
foundation for research on land use change, forest health and carbon
inventories, and changes to our environment, climate, and natural resources.
The free and open availability of Landsat data enables routine use of the
measurements by decision makers both inside and outside the government, for a
wide range of natural resource issues including water resource management,
wildfire response, agricultural productivity, rangeland management, and the
effects of climate change.
Media interested in attending the public forum must contact Steve Cole at
202-358-0918 or stephen.e.cole@nasa.gov no later than 11 a.m. Wednesday,
Sept. 18.
For more information on the USGS Landsat mission, visit:
http://landsat.usgs.govFor more information on NASA programs, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov
