A satellite in orbit spies another satellite being launched into space

The first Landsat satellite launched in 1972. Since then, successive generations of Landsat spacecraft have been collecting images that have allowed scientists to monitor agricultural productivity, forest extent and health, water quality, coral reef habitat health, the shrinking of glaciers, ice sheets and sea ice, and other aspects of our planet’s dynamic surface.

Landsat 9 is joining its sister satellite, Landsat 8, in orbit. They will work together, collecting images that will span all of planet Earth every eight days.

To learn more about Landsat, and access some of its 50 years of imagery, go here.