After 149 days from launch, Landsat 9 data are now available for download via EarthExplorer.
Landsat 9 is an improved version of Landsat 8. These improvements include higher radiometric resolution (i.e. 16-bits compared to 12-bits), which is very helpful to capture better images for darker areas. Additionally, the thermal sensor onboard Landsat 9 (TIRS-2) is an improved version of that onboard Landsat 8 (TIRS-1). TIRS-2 performs better than TIRS-1 by reducing stray light, which indicates an improved atmospheric correction and more accurate surface temperature readings.
Landsat 9 collects about 750 scenes per day, raising the USGS Landsat archive to 1500 new scenes. The images captured by Landsat 9 is processed into the Landsat Collection 2 database. Accordingly, users will have access to an improved and extensive dataset of Earth’s land surface, surface waters, and coastal regions. These data can be used to improve sustainable resources management and climate science capabilities.
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