Source: USGS Landsat Headlines

The USGS is currently finalizing the Landsat Collection 2 product definition structure, production timeline and public availability.

However, for the Landsat user community to have sufficient time to augment their current Landsat Collection-based data processing flow, the USGS has released a high level summary of the Landsat Collection 2 product, as well as provide access to Collection 2 Level-1 sample metadata from the Landsat Sample Products web page.

The USGS implemented a collection-based inventory structure in 2016, termed Landsat Collection 1, in recognition of the need for consistent Landsat 1–8 sensor data and in anticipation of future periodic reprocessing of the archive to reflect new sensor calibration and geolocation knowledge.

Two main components in Landsat Collection 2 will be improved geodetic accuracy using updated Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) ground control points and/or the Sentinel 2 Global Reference Image (GRI). In addition, the USGS will distribute a Level-2 standard product suite that will include Landsat surface reflectance and Landsat surface temperature.

Landsat Collection 2 will contain Level-1 and Level-2 products produced by the USGS Landsat Product Generation System (LPGS), and will include data from Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI)/Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS), Landsat 7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+), Landsat 4-5 Thematic Mapper (TM), and Landsat 1-5 Multispectral Scanner (MSS) instruments. Landsat 9 Operational Land Imager 2 (OLI-2)/Thermal Infrared Sensor 2 (TIRS-2) data will be included in Collection 2 in early 2021 once NASA and the USGS complete on-orbit checkout of the spacecraft.

Please note that Collection 2 Level-2 MSS product feasibility studies are ongoing and will be shared with the Landsat user community upon completion for determining inclusion into the collection-based inventory structure.

Landsat Collection 2 data processing would start no sooner than late calendar year 2019. Current Landsat Collection 1 data processing and downloads will remain available during Collection 2 processing.

The Landsat Collection 2 web page will be routinely updated as the product definition structure and production timeline become more finalized.