April 29th, 2013
Landsat 8 – Going Operational Social Media Event

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On May 30, 2013, the Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM) will officially start its lifelong mission as Landsat 8. The next Landsat satellite will then begin to systematically acquire images of Earth, extending Landsat’s four-decade record of our planet. The USGS is inviting 30 social media followers to join them for a ceremony at the USGS EROS Center in Sioux Falls, SD, that will formally acknowledge the transfer of responsibility of Landsat 8 from NASA to the USGS.

From May 30, the USGS will be responsible for all aspects of operating the satellite — from the health and safety of the spacecraft and its acquisition schedules, to downlinking and receiving data in cooperation with our network of international ground stations. Once the data are permanently recorded at the USGS-EROS Center, they will be processed and distributed in conjunction with the rest of the 4 million-scene Landsat archive.

Through close collaboration between NASA and the USGS, the Landsat program supplies data that show the impact of human society on the planet, a perspective that is more crucial than ever as our global population surpasses seven billion people. Over time, Landsat data has led to an improved understanding of human health, biodiversity, energy and water management, urban planning, disaster recovery, and agriculture monitoring.

USGS-NASA Social participants will have the opportunity to:

• Hear first-hand accounts by the Landsat Mission science and engineering teams.
• Get a behind-the-scenes tour of the USGS EROS Center including:
  • The Landsat Ground Systems
  • The Film and Digital Archive
  • The Landsat Data Reception Antenna (RayDome)
• Be part of the LDCM to Landsat 8 Transition Ceremony
  • To include Dr. Frank Kelly, USGS EROS Center Director; Charles Bolden, NASA Administrator (invited); Sally Jewell, Secretary of the Interior; Suzette Kimball, Acting USGS Director; South Dakota Elected Officials; Dr. Tom Loveland, USGS LDCM Project Scientist; and Dr. Jim Irons, NASA/GSFC LDCM Project Scientist
• Attend evening reception hosted by Forward Sioux Falls and Friends of Landsat
• Meet fellow space enthusiasts who are active on social media
• Meet members of NASA and USGS social media team

Registration opens on Friday, April 26, 2013 and closes at noon EDT on Friday, May 10, 2013.