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Landsat 3 Graphics Library

Explore Earth imagery captured by Landsat 3, along with satellite photographs, technical diagrams, and infographics showcasing this pioneering Earth observation mission.

The Landsat 3 spacecraft during satellite integration at GE. Visible at the bottom of the spacecraft are the openings for...
A photograph of the Landsat 3 satellite from below, hanging in a giant warehouse. The censors onboard Landsat 3 are visible in the undercarriage of this satellite.
An image of Landsat 3 in a cleanroom undergoing pre-flight preparation.
An image of Landsat 3 in a cleanroom undergoing pre-flight preparation.
Landsat 3: A & S Report showcases NASA's third Earth observation satellite launched in 1978. The video demonstrates how Landsat...
Landsat 3 satellite in cleanroom with solar panels extending and retracting.
Landsat 3 satellite undergoing rotation testing on test equipment.
Ground station operator receiving Landsat satellite data.
Landsat 3 data being printed to tape.
Left image shows the onset of the Landsat 3 MSS line start problems. On the right is a Landsat 2...
Two false color Landsat satellite images showing issues in scan lines in Landsat 3 compared to Landsat 2. These false color images show vegetation in bright red, contrasted with the dark blue of the water.
A Return Beam Vidicon image of Madagascar, taken by Landsat 3 on June 8, 1981. A sample RBV image shows...
A Return Beam Vidicon image of Madagascar, taken by Landsat 3 on June 8, 1981. A sample RBV image shows the northwestern coast of Madagascar. The black-and-white image from 1981 has higher resolution than the Multispectral Scanner (MSS) on board the early Landsats.
Part of a 40-meter panchromatic return beam vidicon (RBV) image (annotated) from Landsat 3, acquired on 5 July 1980 (WRS-1...
A black and white satellite image of Alaska's Chitina River valley region near the Canadian border. Text in this image highlights points of interest such as Icefield ranges, and the Centennial Range
A RBV Landsat 3 satellite image of Las Vegas, Nevada, acquired on July 28, 1981.
A RBV Landsat 3 satellite image of Las Vegas, Nevada, acquired on July 28, 1981.
Overlap coverage archived in 1978 of Landsat 3 MSS. Note the focus on wheat-growing areas in the USSR (for LACIE)....
Overlap coverage archived in 1978 of Landsat 3 MSS. Note the focus on wheat-growing areas in the USSR (for LACIE). Additional coverage was for engineering work, and coastal/island study.
A density map showing the distribution of the total 156,073 MSS scenes acquired and archived during the lifetime of the...
Landsat 3 daytime density map from the USGS EROS archive showing the coverage of 156,073 MSS scenes, with different colors representing areas of denser scene collection.
Landsat 3's first light image.
Landsat 3's first satellite image using data from the MSS scanner, featuring a slice of Northern California. This image uses infrared bands to highlight differences in land cover, with vegetation appearing in various shades of bright green.
Landsat 3’s first image features a slice of Northern California on March 7, 1978. San Jose sits in Santa Clara...
Landsat 3’s first image features a slice of Northern California on March 7, 1978. San Jose sits in Santa Clara Valley touching the southernmost portion of San Francisco. The area is shaken by earthquakes once or twice annually as just east of the city lays the Calaveras Fault. The focused imagery showcases the urbanization of the valley, which exploded in the 1970s as Silicon Valley grew.
Diagram of the Landsat 3 RBV cameras.
Diagram of the Landsat 3 RBV cameras.
An artist rendering of the Multispectral Scanner System
An artist rendering of the Multispectral Scanner System. The painting shows the golden components of the MSS, with a chunk out of the middle showing the innerworkings of this scanner.
Landsat 3 satellite being launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base on March 5, 1978.
Landsat 3 satellite being launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base on March 5, 1978.
Artist's rendering of the Landsat 1-3 generation satellites in orbit around Earth, beginning with a close-up view before pulling back...
Artist's rendering of the Landsat 1-3 generation satellites in orbit around Earth, with the camera rotating around the satellite while...
Artist's rendering showing a 360-degree rotating view of the Landsat 1-3 generation satellites.
Artist's rendering showing a 360-degree rotating view of the Landsat 1-3 generation satellites.
Physical model of Landsat 1-3 satellite.
The two-camera RBV baseplate assembly.
A black and white photograph of the two-camera RBV baseplate.