Looking for the Perfect Earth Observation Satellite?
Choosing the right satellite for Earth Observation can be a daunting task. With so many options available, it's essential to choose the one that best fits your project's needs. Two of the most popular Earth Observation satellites are the Copernicus Sentinel-2 and Landsat. Today, we'll compare the performance of these two satellites and help you make an informed decision.
Copernicus Sentinel-2
Copernicus Sentinel-2 is part of the European Union's Copernicus program. It was launched in 2015 and has a revisit time of five days. Sentinel-2 has 13 spectral bands, ranging from the visible to the shortwave infrared, providing high-quality images of the Earth's surface. Its spatial resolution ranges from 10 to 60 meters, depending on the wavelength.
Landsat
Landsat is a series of satellites launched by NASA in partnership with the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The first Landsat satellite was launched in 1972, and the latest, Landsat 9, was launched in 2021. Its current revisit time is eight days. Landsat has nine spectral bands, providing moderate-quality images of the Earth's surface. Its spatial resolution ranges from 15 to 100 meters, depending on the wavelength.
Performance Comparison
When comparing the performance of the Copernicus Sentinel-2 and Landsat, the primary factors to consider are spatial resolution, spectral bands, and revisit time.
Spatial Resolution
The Copernicus Sentinel-2 has a higher spatial resolution than Landsat. Sentinel-2's resolution ranges from 10 to 60 meters, while Landsat's ranges from 15 to 100 meters.
Spectral Bands
Sentinel-2 has more spectral bands than Landsat, making it better suited for a broader range of Earth Observation applications. Sentinel-2 has 13 spectral bands, compared to Landsat's nine.
Revisit Time
The Copernicus Sentinel-2 has a shorter revisit time than Landsat. Sentinel-2 revisits the same location on Earth every five days, while Landsat revisits every eight days.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the choice between the Copernicus Sentinel-2 and Landsat for Earth Observation depends on your project's requirements. If you need higher spatial resolution and more spectral bands, use Sentinel-2. However, if your project can tolerate lower spatial resolution and fewer spectral bands, Landsat may be the better option. Suppose you are working on a time-sensitive project that requires more frequent revisits. In that case, Sentinel-2 would be the better choice, as it revisits the same location every five days, while Landsat takes eight days.
References
Some of the sources used in writing this comparison blog post are:
- European Space Agency. Copernicus Sentinel-2
- United States Geological Survey. Landsat Missions