1. NATIONAL LANDSAT POLICY Executive Office of the President
Gene Whitney
Executive Office of the President

2. The new Landsat policy – What it says.
The policy context
The new Landsat policy – What it means.
The questions
The future…….

4. The Policy context……. LAND REMOTE SENSING POLICY ACT
COMMERCIAL SPACE ACT (amends LAND REMOTE SENSING POLICY ACT)
LANDSAT 7 DATA POLICY
U.S. COMMERCIAL REMOTE SENSING POLICY
LANDSAT DATA CONTINUITY MISSION (LDCM)
etc.

5. Process: Interagency Working Group
Interagency Working Group convened by White House (NSC, OMB, OSTP) after commercial replacement deemed not practical
Members of interagency working group:
NASA, NOAA, USGS, NGA, NRO
Process: 8+ months, IWG examined over one hundred alternatives (e.g., Flights of Opportunity, dedicated mission) to meet the land imaging requirement
Final decision is consensus of White House and agencies

6. Landsat data are high-priority land imaging observations
Landsat will be operational, rather than a series of one-off research missions
Landsat will be an instrument on the NPOESS platform, to which the U.S. has a major commitment as a primary environmental satellite
Data from Landsat will integrate well with other data collected by NPOESS instruments

7. Launch in late 2009 earliest NPOESS opportunity. Landsat will be on C-1.
Implementation plan will be approved by NPOESS and Landsat Program managers

8. Interagency working group performed rigorous analysis of options for gap filler (“bridge”) mission
Earliest bridge mission could be launched in early 2009 and would add $250M to the overall cost of the program
Risk of delay to a bridge mission is essentially the same or greater than risk of delay to NPOESS mission
Provision of land imaging data for a gap is already being explored by interagency working group

9. (to review….)
The questions ……..
Is Landsat data valued; does the government care what Landsat users think or prefer?
Are Landsat 5 and 7 in danger of being decommissioned?
Why did it take so long to decide what to do about Landsat?
Why NPOESS instead of a free flyer?
Will there be a gap-fill mission?
What is the long-term future of Landsat?

10. A distributed system of systems
Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) Group on Earth Observations (60 nations)
A distributed system of systems
Improves coordination of strategies and observation systems
Links all platforms: in situ, aircraft, and satellite networks
Identifies gaps in our global capacity
Facilitates exchange of data and information
Improves decision-makers’ abilities to address pressing policy issues
As you know, Earth observations – both satellite and in situ - have been at the heart of NOAA’s mission for more than 30 years. In fact, environmental information is primary reason for existence. NOAA depends on observing systems for virtually every activity it does - from fundamental research to long range operational forecasting and day-to-day regulatory decisions.  It is estimated that over 30 percent of the United States Gross Domestic Product depends on weather and climate products and services, so it goes without saying that we, as a country, are big believers in the value of Earth observations.
The Earth is an integrated system. All the processes that influence conditions on the Earth, whether ecological, biological, climatological, or geological, are linked, and impact one another. Therefore, Earth observing systems are strengthened when data collection and analysis are achieved in an integrated manner.

11. GEOSS Societal Benefit Areas
Natural & Human Induced Disasters
Water Resources
Ecosystems
Human Health & Well-Being
Energy Resources
Sustainable Agriculture & Desertification
Weather Information, Forecasting & Warning
Climate Variability & Change
Oceans
Weather Forecasting -
Most mature observation system in use today; Obs system provides billions of dollars in value
Reduce Loss of Life and Property from Disasters
Cost $20B/yr - major cause of loss of life and property; i.e.– Use of GOES for fire detection
Protect and Monitor Our Ocean Resources
Coastal areas provide 28 million jobs, tourist destination for 180 million Americans
Observations needed for coastal storms, oil spills, pollution
Understand, Assess, Predict, Mitigate, and Adapt to Climate Variability and Change
Climate models based on observations, therefore, need to fill knowledge and data gaps.
Example – need better understanding of greenhouse gasses for decision making.
Support Sustainable Agriculture and Combat Land Degradation
Food production is a national priority; depends on adaptation to long-term changes.
Understand the Effect of Environmental Factors on Human Health and Well-Being
Need ability to predict disease emergence and intensity
Example – better air quality data can yield improvements in human health (i.e. asthma)
Develop the Capacity to Make Ecological Forecasts
Predict effects of biological, chemical, physical, and human induced pressures on ecosystems
Earth observations and models to help identify cause-effect relationships
Protect and Monitor Water Resources
Freshwater availability/quality needed for health and livelihood; 1B people without safe drinking water
Monitor and Manage Energy Resources
Improved observations will help provide needed energy supply
Example – TVA: decrease $1Billion /yr if temp improved 1ºF (TVA=4.8% USA’s electricity)