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Apollo 10 satellite orbits the Earth.
NASA |
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What is Landsat?
A satellite is something that orbits a planet; the Earth, for example, is asatellite of the Sun. A class of man-made satellites, Landsat, orbits the Earth at high altitudes for a very specific purpose: to gather, store and distribute high-resolution pictures of the earth's land surface and surrounding coastal areas.
What is Landsat Used For?
The images and information gathered from the satellite pictures are put to many uses, including charting environmental conditions on various parts of the earth's surface. NASA's broad goal is to use Landsat to provide a base line for a long-term study of climate change. This is possible because the satellites have been operating for over 25 years, creating what amounts to an ecological history--a time-elapsed, photographic record of the condition of the planet. An invaluable resource for scientists, this unique storehouse of data highlights environmental changes.
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