Which series of U.S. satellites is currently used for Earth remote sensing?

• A. GOES
• B. Landsat
• C. SPOT
• D. Terra

Answer: (B)

Landsat is the U.S. series created specifically for observing Earth’s surface over time. These satellites provide medium-resolution, multispectral imagery that’s ideal for mapping land cover, tracking changes in agriculture and forestry, monitoring urban growth, and assessing environmental conditions. The program has a long, continuous record, with successive satellites (like Landsat 8 and Landsat 9) ensuring data compatibility and long-term monitoring, which is crucial for detecting changes and trends on the ground.

GOES focuses on weather watching from a geostationary orbit, so its imagery is optimized for atmospheric phenomena rather than detailed land surfaces. SPOT is a European mission, not U.S. Landsat. Terra is NASA's Earth-observing mission with multiple instruments on a single satellite, not a U.S. series of satellites dedicated to ongoing land imaging.