Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM) – Landsat 8

Projected Launch: February 11, 2013

The Landsat era that began in 1972 will continue with the successful launch of the Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM) in February 2013. Global, synoptic, and repetitive coverage of the Earth’s land surfaces will continue at a scale where natural and human-induced changes can be detected, differentiated, characterized and monitored over time.

Details about the spacecraft, launch vehicle and logistics, sensors on board, ground system specifics, and orbit details are listed on http://landsat.usgs.gov/about_ldcm.php and http://ldcm.nasa.gov/spacecraft_instruments.html.

Additional pictures, updates and media resources about the LDCM can be found at http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/landsat/main/index.html.

Download LDCM Launch Brochure - .pdf (17.2 MB)

LDCM/Landsat 8 Project Documentation

Timeframe from Launch to Data Availability

After a successful launch, a commissioning time of approximately 100 days will allow the spacecraft to perform orbit maneuvers, systems initialization and calibration to occur, and move into the WRS-2 collection grid. After final observatory checkout, nominal data products will become available to all users at no charge.

Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM) – Landsat 8

Landsat 8 Sensors and Data Products

LDCM will carry two push broom sensors: Operational Land Imager (OLI) and Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS). The band names, wavelengths and resolution for each sensor are listed on http://landsat.usgs.gov/band_designations_landsat_satellites.php.

The data products available from the Landsat 8 mission will be consistent with the already-processed and archived Landsat 1 through 7 data products: http://landsat.usgs.gov/LDCM_DataProduct.php. The additional bands will create a larger data file size, at approximately 1 GB with compression. Sample data products are also available on this page.

All upcoming news will be posted to the Landsat Mission Headlines on the Landsat webpage.