The twenty-two year record of data acquired by the Landsat satellites constitutes the longest continuous record of the earth's continental surfaces. No other system will match Landsat's combination of synoptic coverage, high spatial resolution, spectral range and radiometric calibration. In addition, the Landsat Program will provide digital data to the user community in greater quantities, more quickly and at lower cost than at any previous time in the history of the program. GOES-L A basic element of US weather monitoring and forecast operations and a key component of NOAA's National Weather Service operations.
L is part of the next generation of meteorological satellites and introduces two new features.
The first feature, flexible scan, offers small-scale area imaging that lets meteorologists take pictures of local weather trouble spots. This allows them to improve short-term forecasts over local areas. The second feature, simultaneous and independent imaging and sounding, is designed to allow weather forecasters to use multiple measurements of weather phenomena to increase the accuracy of their forecasts. Data from the ocean scatterometer will be incorporated into long-range climate studies. First in series of Earth Observing satellites.