Last 27th September, the new Landsat 9 satellite was launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base near Lompoc, California.
“Continuing the critical observations made by the Landsat satellites is important now and their value will only grow in the future, given the long term environmental changes we are seeing on planet Earth”
John Grunsfeld, former NASA Associate Administrator for Science
Landsat 9 carries two science instruments. Both instruments have sensors with moderate spatial resolution (15 m, 30 m, and 100 m depending on the spectral band) and the ability to detect a higher range in intensity than Landsat 8 (14-bit radiometric resolution vs. Landsat 8’s 12-bit radiometric resolution). Landsat 9 will be placed in an orbit that is eight days out of phase with Landsat 8, to increase temporal coverage of observations.
Landsat 9 in a nutshell:
Science Instruments: OLI-2; TIRS-2
OLI-2 build: Ball Aerospace & Technology Corp.
TIRS-2 build: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Design Life: 5 years
Spacecraft Provider:Northrop Grumman
Image Data: > 700 scenes per day
Launch Date: Sept. 27, 2021
Launch Vehicle: United Launch Alliance Atlas V 401
Orbit: near-polar, sun-synchronous at an altitude of 438 miles (705 km)
Orbital Inclination: 98.2˚
Spacecraft Speed: 16,760 mi/hr (26,972 km/hr),
Consumables: 10 years
The new NASA mission will enable informed decision support for key areas such as:
- Tropical deforestation and global forest dynamics
- Urban expansion
- Water use
- Coral reef degradation
- Glacier and ice-shelf retreat
- Natural and man-made disasters
- Climate change
More info available here https://landsat.gsfc.nasa.gov/landsat-9/landsat-9-overview