In accordance with advanced mathematics, the last satellite was named Landsat 7 and launched in 1999. While Landsat 7 is still operational, a few of its components have begun to fail, and for the past few years scientists have been hard at work on its successor, Landsat 8.
That successor launches today, from Vandenburg Air Force Base in California. Riding to space aboard a rocket, it will be the most powerful satellite ever to look down on planet Earth.
Once it reaches orbit, engineers at NOAA will begin a two-week testing and calibration process, after which it will rendezvous with Landsat 7 to remotely link the two systems.
Shortly thereafter, Landsat 8’s first images will reach mission control. Landsat 8 is designed to last for five years, but considering Landsat 7’s track record, it’s been given enough fuel for ten, and could be overhead for decades to come.
Images Courtesy of Wikipedia & NASA