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About

The USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center conducts research to track and understand how Earth’s surface is changing. EROS manages one of the world’s largest archives of land imagery and operates the Landsat satellites, delivering data that supports science, resource management, and hazards response. 

Annual NLCD

Annual NLCD animation of the Sioux Falls areas, showing the location of the USGS EROS Center

National-scale monitoring across four decades

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Landsat

Landsat 9 Image of the Greater Los Angeles Fires - January 14, 2025 (During)

Global land imaging from the longest running Earth Observation Program 

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Quick Link

What USGS EROS Does 

  • Conducts scientific research and operational monitoring of land change, including:
    • Analyzing long-term trends in land use, land cover, and land condition
    • Supporting natural resource assessments for agriculture, forestry, and water
    • Developing methods for tracking environmental impacts and ecosystem change
    • Producing data and tools to inform land-use planning and policy decisions 
       
  • Manages, distributes and archives over 80 years of remote-sensing data, including:
    • Landsat satellite imagery - A continuous record of Earth’s surface since 1972
    • Aerial photographs - Historic photos from 1930s - present
    • Declassified imagery - Cold War-era satellite photos (1960-1984) 
       
  • Landsat day-to-day operations, including:
    • Flight operations, mission planning, ground station coordination and data downlinks
    • Data Processing, calibration, and validation for scientific use
    • Distribution of Landsat data through multiple platforms and access tools 
       
  • Supports natural and environmental disaster response, including:
    • FEWS NET - Helping monitor drought and food security in vulnerable regions around the world
    • Fire Science - Vegetation mapping and fuel modeling to support wildfire response and planning
    • Emergency Operations - Delivering rapid imagery and data for floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, and other hazard events 

 

Our Impact 

Science and Natural Resource Assessment: Supports land and water resources by tracking changes in agriculture, forest health, surface water, and land condition. These insights guide land-use planning, conservation policy, energy sighting, and economic development. 

Disaster Response & Resilience: Provides rapid, reliable imagery to assess floods, wildfires, droughts, and other hazards.

Future-forward: Through AI, cloud-based access, and next-generation satellite missions, EROS is advancing the future of Earth science to meet tomorrow’s challenges. 

 

 

Land cover image with various colors indicating land cover types

Science Products Science Products

Explore science products developed at the USGS EROS Center, based on remotely sensed data. These datasets support land cover mapping, rangeland monitoring, fire response, drought tracking, and more. Each product links to the science behind the data and how it supports decision-making across the country.
Science Products

Science Products

Explore science products developed at the USGS EROS Center, based on remotely sensed data. These datasets support land cover mapping, rangeland monitoring, fire response, drought tracking, and more. Each product links to the science behind the data and how it supports decision-making across the country.
Learn More
A map of the United States with varied shades of greens, browns, blues, and red, and the states outlined in black

Data Discovery Data Discovery

The USGS National Remote Sensing Data Archive provides foundational imagery and geospatial data for the Nation. EROS science products offer insights into land cover, fire, hazards, and elevation change. The Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center (LP DAAC), a USGS–NASA partnership, distributes NASA satellite data in support of land and water research.
Data Discovery

Data Discovery

The USGS National Remote Sensing Data Archive provides foundational imagery and geospatial data for the Nation. EROS science products offer insights into land cover, fire, hazards, and elevation change. The Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center (LP DAAC), a USGS–NASA partnership, distributes NASA satellite data in support of land and water research.
Learn More
coding

Data Access Data Access

USGS EROS offers access to decades of satellite and aerial imagery through tools like EarthExplorer, GloVis, and the Commercial Cloud. Specialized portals support key datasets including Annual NLCD, LANDFIRE, and MTBS, enabling users to explore, visualize, and download geospatial data products. The LP DAAC provides NASA land data and tools to support analysis of land surface processes.
Data Access

Data Access

USGS EROS offers access to decades of satellite and aerial imagery through tools like EarthExplorer, GloVis, and the Commercial Cloud. Specialized portals support key datasets including Annual NLCD, LANDFIRE, and MTBS, enabling users to explore, visualize, and download geospatial data products. The LP DAAC provides NASA land data and tools to support analysis of land surface processes.
Learn More
color photograph

Visit Us Visit Us

EROS operates the satellites of the Landsat Program and is an authoritative source for trusted Earth observation data and science. Our center offers tours on weekdays. You'll view satellite imagery of our planet, see a model of Landsat 8, and learn about the many ways the Landsat Program benefits society.
Visit Us

Visit Us

EROS operates the satellites of the Landsat Program and is an authoritative source for trusted Earth observation data and science. Our center offers tours on weekdays. You'll view satellite imagery of our planet, see a model of Landsat 8, and learn about the many ways the Landsat Program benefits society.
Learn More
Aerial photo of the EROS science center

EROS History EROS History

In 1966, the Department of the Interior announced it was launching a new endeavor with the revolutionary goal of gathering data about the Earth's natural resources using satellites equipped with sophisticated remote sensing instruments. Discover how EROS developed in tandem with the Landsat satellite program to become a world-renowned center for Earth observation and data products.
EROS History

EROS History

In 1966, the Department of the Interior announced it was launching a new endeavor with the revolutionary goal of gathering data about the Earth's natural resources using satellites equipped with sophisticated remote sensing instruments. Discover how EROS developed in tandem with the Landsat satellite program to become a world-renowned center for Earth observation and data products.
Learn More
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