Landsat 9 has successfully passed its Mission Operations Review. Together, NASA and USGS demonstrated that the Landsat 9 ground system and mission operation preparations are highly mature. The maturity of the Landsat 9 ground system and mission operation development significantly exceeds the requirements of the Mission Operations Review, putting the Landsat 9 mission well on track to complete remaining preparations prior to launch.

The Mission Operations Review panel lauded the Landsat 9 mission for the excellent joint agency teamwork between NASA and USGS, the exceptional quality of presentation materials, and the team’s creative and flexible responses in the face of major challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic.

Both Landsat 9 Project Managers, Del Jenstrom (NASA) and Brian Sauer (USGS), extended their praise and appreciation to the Landsat 9 ground system and mission operations readiness team for their work that led to a highly successful review performance.

The joint NASA/USGS Landsat 9 mission continues the nearly 50-year Landsat data record, providing actionable information to resource managers and policymakers around the world. In 2021, Landsat 9 will join Landsat 8 in orbit and the two satellites will work together to record the condition of Earth’s ever-changing land surface, enabling scientists and others to monitor crops and algal blooms, to assess deforestation trends and urban growth, and to aid disaster management.

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+ Remote Presentations No Problem for Successful Landsat 9 Mission Operations Review, USGS EROS