Landsat 3

Infobox Earth satellite
name = Landsat 3


launch_date = March 5, 1978
launch_vehicle = Delta 2910
launch_site = Vandenberg AFB
orbit_reference = WRS-1
orbit_type = sun-synchronous, near-polar
orbit_altitude = 917 km (570 mi)
orbit_inclination = 99.1°
orbit_repeat = 18 days
orbit_swath = 185 km (115 mi)
orbit_crossing = 9:30 AM +/- 15 minutes

Landsat 3 is the third satellite of the Landsat program. It was launched on March 5th, 1978, with the primary goal of providing a global archive of satellite photos. Unlike later Landsats, Landsat 3 was managed solely by NASA. Landsat 3 is no longer in operation, due to technical failure. It finally ceased transmission on March 21st 1983, far beyond its designed life expectancy of one year. [cite web |last=United States Geological Survey |url=http://landsat.usgs.gov/project_facts/history/landsat_3.php |title=Landsat 3 History |accessdate=2007-01-16 |date=2006-08-09]

atellite Specifications

Landsat 3 had essentially the same design as Landsat 2. It carried a Multi-Spectral Scanner, which had a maximum 75m resolution. Unlike the previous two Landsat missions a thermal band was built into Landsat 3, but this instrument failed shortly after the satellite was deployed. [cite web |last=National Aeronautics and Space Administration |url=http://landsat.gsfc.nasa.gov/about/landsat3.html |title=The Landsat Program - History - Landsat 3 |accessdate=2007-01-16 |date=2007-01-10] Landsat 3 was placed into a polar orbit at about 920 kilometers, and took 18 days to cover the entire Earth's surface.

References