As most data users are aware, the Terra satellite has recently been experiencing power-based limitations caused by orbital changes and solar array efficiency. In order to maintain power margins, the Terra team moved the MOPITT instrument from science mode into safe mode on February 4th, 2025 ...
Terra observations reveal humanity’s impact on the planet and provide crucial data about natural hazards like fire and volcanoes. See Terra science. Terra is an international mission carrying instruments from the United States, Japan, and Canada.
On February 24th, 2000, the Terra satellite collected its very first data, known in the science community as “First Light” imagery from the MODIS instrument; and in the following March, “First Light” imagery was captured from Terra’s other four instruments. These images were combined by ...
With its sweeping 2,330-km-wide viewing swath, MODIS sees every point on our world every 1-2 days in 36 discrete spectral bands. Consequently, MODIS tracks a wider array of the earth’s vital signs than any other Terra sensor. For instance, the sensor measures the percent of the planet’s surface that is covered by clouds almost every day.
Data Users who have published over 17,500 scientific journal articles to date! Instrument Teams who have kept Terra’s instruments in perfect working conditions for over a quarter of a century! Collaborative Missions, including our interagency and international partners, helping to continue Terra’s data record into the future!
Terra’s five instruments produce 83 core data products which are distributed through the Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center (LPDAAC), the Atmospheric Science Data Center (ASDC), Ocean Color Web, Level 1 and Atmosphere Archive and Distribution System, and the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC). Each data set is specialized and many work in concert with other data products ...