Landsat 4

Landsat 4
Artist's rendering of Landsat 5, which is identical to Landsat 4.
Mission typeEarth observations
OperatorNASA / NOAA
COSPAR ID1982-072A
SATCAT no.13367
Mission duration3 years (planned)
18 years, 10 months, 30 days (final)
Spacecraft properties
BusMultimission Modular Spacecraft
ManufacturerGE Astro Space
Launch mass1,941 kg (4,279 lb)
Dry mass1,407 kg (3,102 lb)
Power1,430 W
Start of mission
Launch date16 July 1982, 17:59 UTC
RocketDelta 3920
Launch siteVandenberg AFB SLC-2W
End of mission
DisposalDecommissioned
Declared14 December 1993
Deactivated15 June 2001
Decay date8 October 2025
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric
RegimeSun-synchronous
Perigee altitude700 km (430 mi)
Apogee altitude704 km (437 mi)
Inclination98.2°
Period98.81 minutes
Repeat interval16 days
EpochAugust 17, 1982

Landsat 4 is the fourth satellite of the Landsat program. It was launched on 16 July 1982, with the primary goal of providing a global archive of satellite imagery. Although the Landsat program is managed by NASA, data from Landsat 4 was collected and distributed by the U.S. Geological Survey. Landsat 4 science operations ended on 14 December 1993, when the satellite lost its ability to transmit science data, far beyond its designed life expectancy of five years. The satellite housekeeping telemetry and tracking continued to be maintained by NASA until it was decommissioned on 15 June 2001.