Satellites and Sensors
Geoscience Australia holds large amounts of data from the satellites and sensors listed below. See the Satellites and Sensors table on the Satellite Facts page for further information.
Current Sensors
Landsat
Geoscience Australia receives and processes data from the Landsat series of satellites and has done so since the USGS launched the first of its Landsat series. Australia has been receiving this data since October 1979. Geoscience Australia no longer processes or distributes Multispectral Scanner (MSS) data.
ASTER
Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) is a sensor onboard the Terra satellite, launched in December 1999. The Terra satellite also carries the MODIS sensor and follows a similar orbit to Landsat 7.
Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) is the key instrument onboard the satellites called Terra (EOS AM-1), launched on 18 December 1999, and Aqua (EOS PM-1), launched on 4 May 2002.
NOAA
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) of the USA operates the series of NOAA satellites which each carry the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) sensor.
Legacy Sensors
Legacy Sensors
Optical and Radar Sensors previously available from Geoscience Australia.
Topic contact: earth.observation@ga.gov.au Last updated: August 7, 2012
