Landsat 5
Mission type | Earth imaging |
---|---|
Operator | NASA / NOAA |
COSPAR ID | 1984-021A |
SATCAT no. | 14780 |
Mission duration | 29 years, 3 months and 4 days |
Spacecraft properties | |
Fairchild Industries | |
Launch mass | 1,938 kilograms (4,273 lb) |
Dry mass | 1,407 kilograms (3,102 lb) |
Start of mission | |
Launch date | 1 March 1984 |
Rocket | SLC-2W |
End of mission | |
Disposal | Placed in graveyard orbit |
Deactivated | 5 June 2013 |
Orbital parameters | |
Reference system | Geocentric |
Regime | Sun-synchronous |
Perigee altitude | 694 kilometers (431 mi) |
Apogee altitude | 701 kilometers (436 mi) |
Inclination | 98.2 degrees |
Period | 98.72 minutes |
Repeat interval | 16 days |
Epoch | 1 April 1984[1] |
Landsat 5 was a
After 29 years in space, Landsat 5 was officially decommissioned on June 5, 2013.[2] Near the end of its mission, Landsat 5's use was hampered by equipment failures, and it was largely superseded by Landsat 7 and Landsat 8.[2] Mission scientists anticipated the satellite will re-enter Earth's atmosphere and disintegrate around 2034.[2]
Recognized by Guinness World Records as the longest-operating Earth-observing satellite mission in history, Landsat 5 orbited the planet more than 150,000 times while transmitting more than 2.5 million images of land surface conditions around the world, greatly outliving its original three-year design life.[3]
Specifications
Landsat 5 had a maximum transmission bandwidth of 85
Mission history
Landsat 5 was launched by NASA from
Landsat 5 recorded many significant events. It was the first satellite to capture the nuclear accident at Chernobyl in 1986. Landsat 5 also documented deforestation occurring in tropical regions, and captured the devastating 2004 tsunami in southeast Asia.[3]
On November 26, 2005, the back-up solar array drive on Landsat 5 began exhibiting unusual behavior. The solar array drive maintains the proper pointing angle between the
On December 18, 2009, the transmitter on Landsat 5 experienced technical difficulties.
On November 18, 2011, image acquisitions were suspended for a period of 90 days, due to fluctuations in the performance of a critical amplifier in the satellite's transmission system. USGS indicated the satellite was nearing the end of its life, after more than 27 years in space.[10]
Longevity
Landsat 5 significantly exceeded its designed life expectancy, lasting several decades beyond its original three-year mission. Contributing to Landsat 5's longevity was the presence of extra fuel for possible future retrieval by the Space Shuttle.[11] If the need arose, Landsat 5 could use the extra fuel to move into a lower orbit. Instead, the extra fuel was used to maintain its existing orbit as long as practicable.[11]
On February 10, 2013, NASA announced that the Guinness World Records had awarded Landsat 5 the world record for "longest-operating Earth observation satellite" at 28 years, 10 months and counting.[12]
End of mission
In mid-2012, with the satellite suffering multiple mechanical failures, the USGS Landsat team began planning a complex series of steps to ensure that the satellite's decommissioning would meet the requirements set under international agreements.[3] When planning began, a date for decommissioning had not yet been set. However, in November 2012, one of Landsat 5's redundant gyroscopes failed, leaving only two operational.[2] If one more failed, the satellite would be left derelict in its valued orbital band.[2] Considering these circumstances, USGS announced on December 21, 2012, that Landsat 5 would be permanently decommissioned as soon as practicable.[13]
Landsat 5 transmitted its last image on January 6, 2013. Nine days later, USGS Mission Operations began the process of maneuvering the satellite from its 438-mile-high (705 km) operational orbit into a lower
At the time of Landsat 5's decommissioning, Landsat 7 (launched in 1999) and Landsat 8 (launched in 2013) remained in orbit. Landsat 8 came online only a few weeks prior to Landsat 5's decommissioning.[3]
See also
- NASA World Wind(uses Geocover 1990 layer made from Landsat 4 & 5 data)
References
- ^ McDowell, Jonathan. "Satellite Catalog". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
- ^ a b c d e Historic Landsat 5 Mission Ends
- ^ a b c d e f "Historic Landsat 5 Mission Ends". NASA. June 24, 2013. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
- ^ "History of Landsat 5". NASA. Archived from the original on 2009-04-02.
- ^ "Landsat 2012 Headlines". USGS. Archived from the original on May 6, 2012. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
- ^ "Landsat 5 Solar Array Drive Anomaly". USGS. Archived from the original on 2007-12-13. Retrieved 2008-09-12.
- ^ Stephen Clark (28 January 2006). "Landsat 5 Satellite Recovers From Latest Glitch". SPACE.com. Retrieved 2008-09-12.
- ^ "Technical Announcement: Landsat 5 Anomaly". USGS. January 7, 2010.
- ^ "Landsat 5 Transmits Data". USGS. January 7, 2010. Archived from the original on May 8, 2012. Retrieved January 11, 2010.
- ^ "Veteran Landsat 5 satellite on the brink of failure". Spaceflight Now.
- ^ a b "Earth-Observing Landsat 5 Turns 25". NASA.
- ^ "Landsat 5 Sets Guinness World Record For 'Longest Operating Earth Observation Satellite'". NASA. February 10, 2013. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
- ^ "News".