Technical Specifications
Comprehensive technical reference for all Landsat satellite missions—instruments, spectral bands, spatial resolution, and orbital parameters.
Overview
This page provides detailed technical specifications for all Landsat satellites. Understanding these specifications is essential for data users, researchers, and anyone working with Landsat imagery for scientific or operational applications.
Landsat 8 & 9 - Current Operational Missions
Landsat 8 (Launched February 11, 2013)
Spacecraft Specifications
- Launch Vehicle: Atlas V 401
- Launch Site: Vandenberg Air Force Base, California
- Orbit: Sun-synchronous, near-polar
- Altitude: 705 km (438 miles)
- Inclination: 98.2 degrees
- Equatorial Crossing Time: 10:00 AM ± 15 minutes (descending node)
- Orbital Period: 99 minutes
- Repeat Cycle: 16 days
- Spacecraft Mass: 2,780 kg (6,128 lbs)
- Design Life: 5 years (10-year goal)
- Status: Operational (2025)
Operational Land Imager (OLI)
Manufacturer: Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp.
Type: Push-broom sensor with four-mirror telescope
Spectral Bands: 9 bands
Radiometric Resolution: 12-bit
Swath Width: 185 km
| Band | Name | Wavelength (μm) | Resolution (m) | Primary Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Band 1 | Coastal/Aerosol | 0.433 - 0.453 | 30 | Coastal and aerosol studies |
| Band 2 | Blue | 0.450 - 0.515 | 30 | Bathymetric mapping, soil/vegetation discrimination |
| Band 3 | Green | 0.525 - 0.600 | 30 | Peak vegetation response |
| Band 4 | Red | 0.630 - 0.680 | 30 | Vegetation discrimination |
| Band 5 | Near-Infrared | 0.845 - 0.885 | 30 | Biomass content and shoreline mapping |
| Band 6 | SWIR 1 | 1.560 - 1.660 | 30 | Moisture content, snow/cloud discrimination |
| Band 7 | SWIR 2 | 2.100 - 2.300 | 30 | Improved moisture content, geological mapping |
| Band 8 | Panchromatic | 0.500 - 0.680 | 15 | Image sharpening, detailed feature identification |
| Band 9 | Cirrus | 1.360 - 1.390 | 30 | Cirrus cloud detection and masking |
Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS)
Manufacturer: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Type: Quantum Well Infrared Photodetector (QWIP)
Spectral Bands: 2 thermal bands
Radiometric Resolution: 12-bit
| Band | Name | Wavelength (μm) | Resolution (m) | Primary Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Band 10 | TIRS 1 | 10.60 - 11.19 | 100 | Surface temperature estimation |
| Band 11 | TIRS 2 | 11.50 - 12.51 | 100 | Improved surface temperature (atmospheric correction) |
Source: USGS Landsat 8 Data Users Handbook, NASA Landsat Science
Landsat 9 (Launched September 27, 2021)
Spacecraft Specifications
- Launch Vehicle: Atlas V 401
- Launch Site: Vandenberg Space Force Base, California
- Orbit: Sun-synchronous, near-polar (same as Landsat 8, offset by 8 days)
- Altitude: 705 km (438 miles)
- Inclination: 98.2 degrees
- Equatorial Crossing Time: 10:00 AM ± 15 minutes (descending node)
- Design Life: 5 years (10-year goal)
- Status: Operational (2025)
Operational Land Imager 2 (OLI-2)
Manufacturer: Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp.
Improvements over OLI:
- Radiometric Resolution: 14-bit (vs. 12-bit for Landsat 8)
- Enhanced Calibration: Improved long-term stability
- Data Downlink: Full 14-bit data transmission
Spectral Bands: Identical to Landsat 8 OLI (9 bands with same wavelengths and resolutions)
Thermal Infrared Sensor 2 (TIRS-2)
Manufacturer: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center / JPL
Improvements over TIRS:
- Stray Light Reduction: Improved baffle design
- Reliability Class: Class B (vs. Class C for TIRS)
- Design Life: 5 years (vs. 3 years for TIRS)
Spectral Bands: Identical to Landsat 8 TIRS (2 thermal bands with same wavelengths and resolutions)
Source: USGS Landsat 9 Documentation, NASA Landsat 9 Mission Overview
Landsat 7 - Extended Mission
Landsat 7 (Launched April 15, 1999)
Spacecraft Specifications
- Launch Vehicle: Delta II 7920
- Launch Site: Vandenberg Air Force Base, California
- Orbit: Sun-synchronous, near-polar
- Altitude: 705 km (438 miles)
- Inclination: 98.2 degrees
- Equatorial Crossing Time: 10:00 AM ± 15 minutes (descending node)
- Repeat Cycle: 16 days
- Design Life: 5 years
- Actual Operation: 25+ years (2025)
- Status: Operational (SLC-off mode since May 2003)
Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+)
Type: Whiskbroom scanner
Spectral Bands: 8 bands
Radiometric Resolution: 8-bit
Swath Width: 185 km
| Band | Name | Wavelength (μm) | Resolution (m) | Primary Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Band 1 | Blue | 0.450 - 0.515 | 30 | Bathymetric mapping, soil/vegetation discrimination |
| Band 2 | Green | 0.525 - 0.605 | 30 | Peak vegetation response |
| Band 3 | Red | 0.630 - 0.690 | 30 | Chlorophyll absorption |
| Band 4 | Near-Infrared | 0.775 - 0.900 | 30 | Biomass surveys |
| Band 5 | SWIR 1 | 1.550 - 1.750 | 30 | Vegetation moisture |
| Band 6 | Thermal | 10.40 - 12.50 | 60 | Surface temperature |
| Band 7 | SWIR 2 | 2.090 - 2.350 | 30 | Mineral/rock discrimination |
| Band 8 | Panchromatic | 0.520 - 0.900 | 15 | Image sharpening |
Note on SLC Failure: The Scan Line Corrector (SLC) failed on May 31, 2003, resulting in data gaps in images. Despite this, Landsat 7 continues to collect scientifically valuable data, and gap-filling techniques have been developed.
Source: USGS Landsat 7 Science Data Users Handbook
Landsat 4 & 5 - Thematic Mapper Era
Landsat 4 (1982-2001) & Landsat 5 (1984-2013)
Spacecraft Specifications
- Orbit: Sun-synchronous, near-polar
- Altitude: 705 km (438 miles)
- Inclination: 98.2 degrees
- Repeat Cycle: 16 days
- Equatorial Crossing Time: 9:45 AM (descending node)
Thematic Mapper (TM)
Type: Whiskbroom scanner
Spectral Bands: 7 bands
Radiometric Resolution: 8-bit
Swath Width: 185 km
| Band | Wavelength (μm) | Resolution (m) | Primary Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Band 1 (Blue) | 0.45 - 0.52 | 30 | Water body penetration, soil/vegetation |
| Band 2 (Green) | 0.52 - 0.60 | 30 | Vegetation vigor |
| Band 3 (Red) | 0.63 - 0.69 | 30 | Chlorophyll absorption |
| Band 4 (NIR) | 0.76 - 0.90 | 30 | Biomass surveys |
| Band 5 (SWIR) | 1.55 - 1.75 | 30 | Vegetation moisture |
| Band 6 (Thermal) | 10.40 - 12.50 | 120 | Surface temperature |
| Band 7 (SWIR) | 2.08 - 2.35 | 30 | Mineral/rock discrimination |
Multispectral Scanner (MSS)
Landsat 4 and 5 also carried MSS for data continuity with earlier missions.
Source: USGS Landsat 4-5 Documentation, NASA Landsat Technical Characteristics
Landsat 1, 2, & 3 - Pioneering Missions
Landsat 1, 2, & 3 (1972-1983)
Spacecraft Specifications
- Orbit: Sun-synchronous, near-polar
- Altitude: 917 km (570 miles)
- Repeat Cycle: 18 days
- Swath Width: 185 km
Multispectral Scanner (MSS)
Type: Whiskbroom scanner
Spectral Bands: 4 bands (Landsat 1 & 2), 5 bands (Landsat 3)
Radiometric Resolution: 6-bit (64 gray levels)
| Band | Wavelength (μm) | Resolution (m) | Primary Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Band 4 (Green) | 0.5 - 0.6 | 80 | Water penetration, vegetation |
| Band 5 (Red) | 0.6 - 0.7 | 80 | Chlorophyll absorption |
| Band 6 (NIR) | 0.7 - 0.8 | 80 | Biomass surveys |
| Band 7 (NIR) | 0.8 - 1.1 | 80 | Water body delineation |
| Band 8 (Thermal)* | 10.4 - 12.6 | 240 | Surface temperature |
* Band 8 thermal was only on Landsat 3
Return Beam Vidicon (RBV)
Television-style camera system; limited use due to technical issues. The RBV was eventually turned off in favor of MSS.
Source: USGS EROS Landsat 1-3 Documentation
Landsat Next - Future Mission
Landsat Next (Planned Launch: Late 2030 / Early 2031)
Mission Architecture
- Configuration: Three-satellite constellation
- Orbit: Sun-synchronous, near-polar
- Altitude: ~705 km (subject to final design)
- Revisit Time: 6 days at equator (constellation)
- Design Life: To be determined
Landsat Next Instrument Suite (LandIS)
Developer: Raytheon Company ($506.7M contract)
Total Spectral Bands: 26 bands
Enhanced Capabilities
| Capability | Landsat 8/9 | Landsat Next |
|---|---|---|
| Total Spectral Bands | 11 | 26 |
| Multispectral Resolution | 30 meters | 10-20 meters |
| Thermal Bands | 2 | 5 |
| Revisit Time (constellation) | 8 days | 6 days |
| Water Quality Bands | Limited | Enhanced visible bands |
| Vegetation Bands | Standard NIR | Red edge + enhanced NIR/SWIR |
Spectral Band Categories (Details subject to final design)
- Enhanced Visible Bands: Multiple bands optimized for water quality and coastal applications
- Red Edge Bands: Sensitive to vegetation chlorophyll content and stress
- Near-Infrared Bands: Enhanced for biomass and water body discrimination
- Shortwave Infrared Bands: Multiple SWIR bands for vegetation moisture, snow/ice, and geology
- Thermal Infrared Bands: Five thermal bands for improved temperature and emissivity retrieval
Source: NASA Landsat Science, USGS Landsat Next Program Documentation
Spectral Band Comparison Across Missions
| Spectral Region | Landsat 1-3 MSS | Landsat 4-5 TM | Landsat 7 ETM+ | Landsat 8-9 OLI/TIRS | Landsat Next |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coastal/Aerosol | - | - | - | 1 band | Enhanced |
| Visible (Blue, Green, Red) | 2 bands | 3 bands | 3 bands | 3 bands | Enhanced multiple bands |
| Near-Infrared | 2 bands | 1 band | 1 band | 1 band | Multiple bands + red edge |
| Shortwave Infrared | - | 2 bands | 2 bands | 2 bands | Enhanced multiple bands |
| Thermal Infrared | 1 band (L3 only) | 1 band | 1 band | 2 bands | 5 bands |
| Panchromatic | - | - | 1 band (15m) | 1 band (15m) | TBD |
| Cirrus Detection | - | - | - | 1 band | TBD |
| Total Bands | 4-5 | 7 | 8 | 11 | 26 |
Data Processing and Access
Landsat Collection 2
The current Landsat data archive is processed as Collection 2, which provides improved geometric accuracy, radiometric calibration, and atmospheric correction compared to previous versions.
Processing Levels:
- Level-1: Radiometrically calibrated and orthorectified using ground control points and digital elevation models
- Level-2: Atmospherically corrected surface reflectance and surface temperature products
- Level-3: Tile-based products for specific applications
Data Access:
- USGS Earth Explorer: https://earthexplorer.usgs.gov/
- USGS GloVis: https://glovis.usgs.gov/
- NASA LP DAAC: Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center
- Google Earth Engine: Cloud-based planetary-scale analysis
- AWS Open Data: Amazon Web Services public data program
All Landsat data is free and open to users worldwide.
Source: USGS EROS Data Access Portal, NASA Landsat Science