Exploring the Unknown - NASA's History Office

Landsat. NASA will have the lead responsibility for arranging for foreign ground
station operations.
• Commercialization. NASA will have the lead responsibility, with support from
DoD and other agencies, for promoting and periodically assessing U.S. commercial
opportunities, to the extent feasible in the Landsat program.
• Advanced Technologies for Landsat 8 and Beyond. NASA, DoD and other USG
agencies are pursuing advanced technologies that hold significant promise for
future land remote sensing systems. Conducting an advanced technology demonstration
and evaluation effort, with the goal of allowing for technology insertion at
an appropriate point in the program, is desirable. Accordingly, with the support of
NASA, the DoE and other Federal agencies, DoD will have the lead responsibility
for preparing a coordinated technology plan that has as a goal improved performance
and reduced cost for future Landsat-type systems. The plan will identify relevant
agency activities and funding that can contribute to this goal.
[6] Approved:
[hand-signed: “Aaron Cohen for”] [hand-signed: “Donald J. Atwood”]
Richard H. Truly Donald J. Atwood
Administrator Deputy Secretary of Defense
National Aeronautics and
Space Administration
3/10/92 3/20/92
Date Approved Date Approved
[7] Attachment 1
Cost Baseline (Then Year $M) 1
DoD Costs:
FY 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 Total
30 80 158 134 52 6 2 2 2 2 2 470
Includes:
EXPLORING THE UNKNOWN 351
• Development of One Landsat 6-Equivalent Performance Satellite
– Enhanced Thematic Mapper-class Sensor Performance as a Minimum
– Baseline includes TDRSS Communications
• Launch
– Planned for FY 1997
– Titan II-class launch vehicle from West Cost (Vandenberg AFB)
• Program Support/General Systems-Level Engineering and Integration (SE &I)
NASA Costs:
FY 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 Total
7 25 59 61 48 30 32 34 36 38 40 410
1. Subject to enabling legislation and contract negotiations.