On this day in 1984, Landsat 5 was launched into orbit. Today, after 23 years of service, Landsat 5 is still operational. The original design life of Landsat 5 was just three years, but it has become the longest continuously operating Earth observation system in the U.S. civilian satellite fleet. Landsat 5’s tremendous life span is a tribute to the prodigious engineering behind the satellite.

Join the Pale Blue Dot Visualization Challenge and Be Part of a Brighter Future
The Pale Blue Dot Visualization Challenge—aimed at making Earth observation data accessible to everyone—has officially kicked off.