Landsat NeXt

Landsat Next: A New & Revolutionary Mission
Landsat Next, expected to launch in late 2030/early 2031, is an innovative Landsat mission that represents a quantum leap in measurement capabilities with improved temporal, spatial, and spectral resolutions. The mission will satisfy global Landsat data user needs and support evolving and emerging applications, all while maintaining Landsat data continuity and quality of the longest space-based record of Earth’s land surface.
Improved Temporal Revisit
Landsat Next will be a constellation of three identical observatories sent into orbit on the same launch vehicle. The triplet observatories will be spaced 120 degrees apart at an orbital altitude of 653 kilometers (406 miles).
The Landsat Next triplet will provide an improved collective 6-day temporal revisit, a significant upgrade from the 16-day repeat interval of either Landsat 8 or Landsat 9. The temporal frequency will increase the probability of acquiring cloud-free scenes and enhance the monitoring and management of dynamic and changing landscapes.
Capabilities will include:
- Track dynamics of snow and ice on both land and sea
- Phenological signatures used for vegetation classification and modeling crop development, health, and yields
- Detect periodic disturbances due to harvesting and episodic insect and disease agents
- Assess near-continuous water use and evapotranspiration
- Provide early warnings about the onset of fires and harmful algal blooms
- Monitor public health during heat wave seasons