Remote Sensing of Environment 225 (2019) 127–147 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Remote Sensing of Environment journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/rse Current status of Landsat program, science, and applications T ⁎ Michael A. Wuldera, , Thomas R. Lovelandb, David P. Royc, Christopher J. Crawfordd, Jeffrey G. Maseke, Curtis E. Woodcockf, Richard G. Alleng, Martha C. Andersonh, Alan S. Belwardi, Warren B. Cohenj, John Dwyerb, Angela Erbk, Feng Gaoh, Patrick Griffithsl, Dennis Helderm, Txomin Hermosillaa,n, James D. Hippleo, Patrick Hostertp, M. Joseph Hughesq, Justin Huntingtonr, David M. Johnsons, Robert Kennedyq, Ayse Kilict, Zhan Lia, Leo Lymburneru, Joel McCorkele, Nima Pahlevanv,w, Theodore A. Scambosx, Crystal Schaafk, John R. Schotty, Yongwei Shengz, James Storeyaa, Eric Vermotev, James Vogelmannb, Joanne C. Whitea, Randolph H. Wynneab, Zhe Zhuac,ad a Canadian Forest Service (Pacific Forestry Centre), Natural Resources Canada, 506 West Burnside Road, Victoria, British Columbia V8Z 1M5, Canada b U.S. Geological Survey Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center, 47914 252nd Street, Sioux Falls, SD 57198, USA c Department of Geography, Environment, & Spatial Sciences, Center for Global Change and Earth Observations, Michigan State University, USA d ASRC Federal InuTeq/U.S. Geological Survey Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center, 47914 252nd Street, Sioux Falls, SD 57198, USA e Biospheric Sciences Laboratory, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA f Department of Earth and Environment, Boston University, MA 02215, USA g University of Idaho Research and Extension Center, Kimberly, ID 83341, USA h USDA, Agricultural Research Service, Hydrology and Remote Sensing Laboratory, 10300 Baltimore Avenue, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA i European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute for Environment and Sustainability, 20133, VA, Italy j USDA Forest Service, PNW Research Station, 3200 SW Jefferson Way, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA k School for the Environment, University of Massachusetts Boston, 100 Morrissey Blvd, Boston, MA 02125, USA l European Space Agency, Earth Observation, Science, Applications & Climate Department, Frascati (Roma), Italy m College of Engineering, South Dakota State University Brookings, SD 57007, USA n Integrated Remote Sensing Studio, Department of Forest Resources Management, University of British Columbia, 2424 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada o United States Department of Agriculture, Risk Management Agency, Washington, DC 20250, USA p Geography Department, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Unter den Linden 6, 10099 Berlin, Germany q College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences, 104 CEOAS Admin Bldg., Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, United States r Desert Research Institute, Reno, NV 89501, USA s National Agricultural Statistics Service, United States Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, D.C. 20250, USA t Dept. of Civil Engineering, School of Natural Resources, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 65816, USA u Geoscience Australia, GPO Box 378, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia v Terrestrial Information Systems Laboratory, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA w Science Systems and Applications, Inc., Lanham, MD 20706, USA x National Snow and Ice Data Center, University of Colorado, 1540 30th Street, Boulder, CO 80303, USA y Rochester Institute of Technology, Chester F. Carlson Center for Imaging Science, Rochester, NY 14623, USA z Department of Geography, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA aa Stinger Ghaffarian Technologies, Contractor to the U.S. Geological Survey, Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center, Sioux Falls, SD, USA ab Virginia Tech, Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation, 310 West Campus Dr, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA ac Department of Geosciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409-1053, USA ad Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA, United States ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT Keywords: Formal planning and development of what became the first Landsat satellite commenced over 50 years ago in Open data 1967. Now, having collected earth observation data for well over four decades since the 1972 launch of Landsat- Remote sensing science 1, the Landsat program is increasingly complex and vibrant. Critical programmatic elements are ensuring the Land cover continuity of high quality measurements for scientific and operational investigations, including ground systems, OLI acquisition planning, data archiving and management, and provision of analysis ready data products. Free and TIRS open access to archival and new imagery has resulted in a myriad of innovative applications and novel scientific ARD insights. The planning of future compatible satellites in the Landsat series, which maintain continuity while ⁎ Corresponding author. E-mail address: [email protected] (M.A. Wulder). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2019.02.015 Received 1 November 2018; Received in revised form 13 February 2019; Accepted 17 February 2019 Available online 11 March 2019 0034-4257/ Crown Copyright © 2019 Published by Elsevier Inc. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/BY/4.0/). M.A. Wulder, et al. Remote Sensing of Environment 225 (2019) 127–147 Land change science incorporating technological advancements, has resulted in an increased operational use of Landsat data. Landsat science team Governments and international agencies, among others, can now build an expectation of Landsat data into a given operational data stream. International programs and conventions (e.g., deforestation monitoring, climate change mitigation) are empowered by access to systematically collected and calibrated data with expected future continuity further contributing to the existing multi-decadal record. The increased breadth and depth of Landsat science and applications have accelerated following the launch of Landsat-8, with significant improvements in data quality. Herein, we describe the programmatic developments and institutional context for the Landsat program and the unique ability of Landsat to meet the needs of national and international programs. We then present the key trends in Landsat science that underpin many of the recent scientific and application developments and follow- up with more detailed thematically organized summaries. The historical context offered by archival imagery combined with new imagery allows for the development of time series algorithms that can produce information on trends and dynamics. Landsat-8 has figured prominently in these recent developments, as has the improved understanding and calibration of historical data. Following the communication of the state of Landsat science, an outlook for future launches and envisioned programmatic developments are presented. Increased linkages be- tween satellite programs are also made possible through an expectation of future mission continuity, such as developing a virtual constellation with Sentinel-2. Successful science and applications developments create a positive feedback loop—justifying and encouraging current and future programmatic support for Landsat. 1. Introduction satellites, such as between the contemporaneous Landsat-8 and Sen- tinel-2A and -2B satellites (Drusch et al., 2012; Loveland and Irons, There have been dramatic changes in the Landsat program over the 2016), allow for an effective increase in spatial and temporal coverage past ten years, many of which were made possible through actions by for both programs empowering users through increased data avail- the two federal Landsat partners: NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey ability (Wulder et al., 2015). The launch of Landsat-8 maintained (USGS). In 2008, the Landsat data policy changed and the Landsat ar- continuity with previous instruments while also offering improvements chive became free and open (Woodcock et al., 2008). This resulted in in the geometric and radiometric fidelity of the imagery and through new paradigms for data processing and sparked a major period of in- the collection of approaching all possible terrestrial images on each novation and understanding (Wulder et al., 2012). In February 2013, overpass. The importance of ground systems in collecting and dis- the Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM) was successfully laun- seminating imagery has been demonstrated with notable benefits evi- ched, since renamed Landsat-8, which adds to the archive an un- dent from the provision of analysis ready data products. precedented number of daily acquisitions with improved geometric and Ensuring Landsat continuity is the cornerstone of the program radiometric properties leading to expanded scientific and operational (Wulder et al., 2008; Roy et al., 2014). Major steps towards solidifying capabilities (Loveland and Irons, 2016; Loveland and Dwyer, 2012). long-term continuity include the February 13, 2013 launch and sub- The increasingly long baseline of Landsat data that are geo- and sequent mission commissioning of Landsat-8 and establishment of a radiometrically consistent and calibrated has led to the generation of Landsat-9 Architecture Study Team to define the capabilities and im- new information via novel algorithmic and processing approaches. plementation strategy. Landsat-9 has been authorized and is proceeding Cloud-based high-performance computing allows for bringing algo- towards a December 2020 launch. Planning