USGS and Australia formally partner on upcoming Landsat Next satellite mission

Opportunities for collaboration come from Landsat 2030 International Partnership InitiativeThe program was announced at the December 2023 National Space Council meeting. The program aims to enhance the ability of the U.S. and its partner governments to sustainably manage land, surface water, and resource use.

“Today marks the beginning of a new era of collaboration between our two countries, with Australia committing $200 million over the next few years to modernize the Alice Springs satellite ground station facilities and support advanced new data processing and analysis capabilities,” said Tim Newman, National Land Imaging Program Coordinator at the USGS. “With this further commitment, we are well positioned to maximize the social and economic benefits of the Landsat Next mission, scheduled to launch in the early 2030s.”

For nearly half a century, the U.S. Geological Survey and Geoscience Australia have collaborated in Earth observation science to address complex global challenges and advance shared priorities, including climate change resilience, sustainable development, and opportunities to maximize shared economic prosperity for both citizens and the global community. Under this new agreement, Australia will provide critical ground station infrastructure, personnel, services and science to support the Landsat Next mission.

“The Landsat Next 2030 program between the U.S. Geological Survey and Geoscience Australia is transformative. The expanded cooperative agreement provides us with numerous opportunities to strengthen our integrated efforts in satellite and ground operations, data management, and land change science. It will inspire us to take a global and multimodal data perspective in product development. It will inspire us to discern the latest AI methods for multiple applications. This program represents a critical step toward a more unified Earth observation future, allowing us to unlock the vast potential of landscape analysis for the benefit of society,” said Dr. Pete Doucette, Director of the USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center.