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Subject:        USGS News Release: Landsat 5 Experiencing Technical Difficulties
Date:   Wed, 30 Nov 2005
From:   Karen Renee Wood <[log in to unmask]>
To:     [log in to unmask]


News Release

U.S. Department of the Interior
U.S. Geological Survey


For release:  November 30, 2005
Contact:   Ron Beck, 703-648-6168, [log in to unmask]

Landsat 5 Experiencing Technical Difficulties

On November 26, 2005, the back-up solar array drive on Landsat 5 began
exhibiting unusual behavior. The solar array drive maintains the proper
pointing angle between the solar array and the sun. The rotation of the
solar array drive became sporadic and the solar array was not able to
provide the power needed to charge the batteries.   Maintaining power to
the batteries is critical to sustain proper operation of the spacecraft.
The primary solar array drive failed under similar circumstances last
January. As a result of this current situation, imaging operations will be
suspended for at least the next two weeks or until attempts to solve the
problem have been resolved.

Landsat 5, launched in March 1984, has performed far beyond its three-year
design lifetime and has continued to collect global land surface coverage.
 Over 125,000 images, from the Chernobyl disaster to Hurricane Katrina,
have proven invaluable for identifying the impact of natural and
human-induced changes.  Landsat 5 and Landsat 7 together provide full
global coverage of the Earth?s surface every eight days.

The Landsat Program is the longest running program providing vital images
of the Earth?s surface from space. The first Landsat satellite was
launched in 1972 and since then, Landsat satellites have been providing a
constant stream of moderate-resolution images. In 1999, the Landsat
Program took a giant leap forward technologically with the launch of
Landsat 7. The instruments on the Landsat satellites have acquired
millions of images of the surface of the planet, providing a unique
resource for scientists who study agriculture, geology, forestry, regional
planning, education, mapping and global change research.

The Landsat Program is a joint initiative of USGS and NASA to gather Earth
resource data using a series of satellites including Landsats 5 and 7.
NASA is responsible for developing and launching the spacecrafts, while
the USGS is responsible for flight operations, maintenance, and management
of all data reception, processing, archiving, product generation, and
distribution. The primary objective of the Landsat Program is to ensure a
consistent, calibrated collection of Earth imagery that can be used to
scientifically measure change over decades and beyond. Landsat?s global
survey mission is to repeatedly capture images of the Earth?s land mass,
coastal boundaries, and coral reefs; and to ensure the data acquired are
of maximum utility in supporting the scientific objectives of monitoring
changes in the Earth?s land surface and associated environment.

Updates and further information are available at landsat.usgs.gov.

The USGS serves the nation by providing reliable scientific information to
describe and understand the Earth; minimize loss of life and property from
natural disasters; manage water, biological, energy, and mineral
resources; and enhance and protect our quality of life.

**** www.usgs.gov ****



Karen Wood
Public Affairs Specialist
U.S. Geological Survey, Office of Communications
703-648-4447
Fax: 703-648-4466
Email: [log in to unmask]




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