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Diagram of the Landsat 7 Satellite
© Geoscience Australia

How to get Landsat imagery and data

To enquire about data availability or to order your Landsat satellite data, please contact Earth Observation Client Services.

A proporation of the Australia Landsat archive is available from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). This can be found by going to Earth Explorer.

Landsat ETM+, TM and MSS data is available under Creative Commons Licence 3.0

• The future of the Landsat archive
• File formats
• Processing levels for Landsat 7 ETM+ SLC-Off products
• General terms and conditions

Satellite characteristics

Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) and Thematic Mapper (TM)

Geoscience Australia started acquiring ETM+ data from the Landsat 7 satellite in July 1999. The Geoscience Australia archive is the largest repository of Landsat 7 images covering Australia.

A fault with the Landsat 7 Scan Line Corrector (SLC) occurred on 31 May 2003 resulting in small gaps in the processed products.

Example of a Landsat Thematic
Mapper image
© Geoscience Australia

Example of a Landsat 7 image
© Geoscience Australia

The Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) is a sensor onboard the Landsat 4 and Landsat 5 spacecrafts. It provided information on the Earth's surface in the visible, near, middle and thermal infrared regions of the electromagnetic spectrum. Thematic Mapper data of Australia, Papua New Guinea and South-Eastern Indonesia was acquired in Australia from September 1987 until 31 December 1999. Acquisitions of Landsat 5 TM data recommenced on 1 July 2003 and ceased on 18 November 2011.

Radiometric characteristics of the ETM+ and TM sensors

Other satellite and image characteristics

Multispectral Scanner (MSS) - No longer available from Geoscience Australia

Example of a Landsat Multispectral
Scanner image
© Geoscience Australia

The Landsat Multispectral Scanner (MSS) was on Landsat 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. This sensor provided information on the earth's surface in the visible and near infrared parts of the spectrum. Geoscience Australia acquired Landsat MSS image data from 14 September 1979 to 30 November 1997. Some of this imagery data can be obtained from archives held by the USGS.

Radiometric characteristics

Other characteristics

History

Geoscience Australia receives and processes data from the Landsat series of satellites. The Landsat Program is the longest running satellite series for imaging Earth from space. The first satellite in the series was launched in 1972, and since then seven satellites have been launched. The eighth satellite, the Landsat Data Continuity Mission, is due to be launched early 2013. The Landsat Program has produced one of the most successful satellite ventures in space history with Landsat 5. Commencing in March 1984, the satellite had an expected life of 3 years. As of 2012 Geoscience Australia no longer processes or distributes Multispectral Scanner (MSS) data.

Of the sensors carried, the Multispectral Scanner (MSS) with 80-metre pixels and four spectral bands was found to provide information of unforeseen value. In July 1982, the launch of Landsat 4 saw the inclusion of the Thematic Mapper (TM) sensor with a 30-metre resolution and 7 spectral bands. Both sensors are on Landsat 5.

The newest in this series of remote sensing satellites is Landsat 7. Launched on 15 April 1999, Landsat 7 has the new Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) sensor. This sensor has the same 7 spectral bands as its predecessor, TM, but has an added panchromatic band with 15-metre resolution and a higher resolution thermal band of 60 metres. The ETM+ sensor also has a five percent absolute radiometric calibration.

Landsat MSS data was recorded over Australia by USGS from 1972 to 1979. Geoscience Australia (then ACRES) began acquisition of this data in September 1979. Acquisition of Landsat MSS image data ceased in December 1997. From late 1979 we have archived nearly every pass over Australia and continue to receive and archive data from Landsat 7 daily.

Diagram showing operational status of Landsat satellites 2005.
© Geoscience Australia