The Terra satellite was initially called EOS AM-1. This satellite was launched in December 1999 and AM-2 is planned to be launched in 2004. The Terra/EOS AM-1 satellite crosses the equator at 10:30, while the Aqua (PM-1) satellite crosses at 13:30, local time. The imaging sensors are the Advanced Spacebourne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER), Multi-angle Imaging Spectroradiometer (MISR), and Moderate Resolution Spectroradiometer (MODIS). The satellites have a polar, circular, sun-synchronous 705-km orbit with a 16-day repeat cycle. The ASTER instrument has channels in the VNIR, SWIR and TIR, with a swath width of 60 km. Channel 3 can also be pointed backward looking as well as nadir looking. MISR has a swath width of 360 km and consists of nine scanners at fixed angles: one nadir, four pointed fore, and four aft. The angled scanners are at 26.1, 45.6, 60.0, and 70.5 degrees. MISR has two spatial modes: Local and Global. In Local Mode the spatial resolution is 275 m, and in Global Mode these pixels are averaged either 4 x 4, 1 x 4, or 2 x 2. MODIS has 36 spectral bands and a 2330 km swath width.
| Band | Wavelength Region (µm) | Resolution (m) |
| 1 | 0.52-0.60 (green) | 15 |
| 2 | 0.63-0.69 (red) | 15 |
| 3 | 0.76-0.86 (near-IR) | 15 |
| 4 | 1.600-1.700 (SWIR) | 30 |
| 5 | 2.145-2.185 (SWIR) | 30 |
| 6 | 2.185-2.225 (SWIR) | 30 |
| 7 | 2.235-2.285 (SWIR) | 30 |
| 8 | 2.295-2.365 (SWIR) | 30 |
| 9 | 2.360-2.430 (SWIR) | 30 |
| 10 | 8.125-8.475 (TIR) | 90 |
| 11 | 8.475-8.825 (TIR) | 90 |
| 12 | 8.925-9.275 (TIR) | 90 |
| 13 | 10.25-10.95 (TIR) | 90 |
| 14 | 10.95-11.65 (TIR) | 90 |
| Band | Wavelength of Band Center (µm) | Resolution (m) |
| 1 | 0.443 (blue) | 275 |
| 2 | 0.555 (green) | 275 |
| 3 | 0.670 (red) | 275 |
| 4 | 0.865 (near-IR) | 275 |
| Band | Wavelength Region (µm) | Resolution (m) |
| 1 | 0.620-0.670 (red) | 250 |
| 2 | 0.841-0.876 (NIR) | 250 |
| 3 | 0.459-0.479 (blue) | 500 |
| 4 | 0.545-0.565 (green) | 500 |
| 5 | 1.230-1.250 (NIR) | 500 |
| 6 | 1.628-1.652 (SWIR) | 500 |
| 7 | 2.105-2.155 (SWIR) | 500 |
| 8 | 0.405-0.420 (blue) | 1000 |
| 9 | 0.438-0.448 (blue) | 1000 |
| 10 | 0.483-0.493 (blue) | 1000 |
| 11 | 0.526-0.536 (green) | 1000 |
| 12 | 0.546-0.556 (green) | 1000 |
| 13 | 0.662-0.672 (red) | 1000 |
| 14 | 0.673-0.683 (red) | 1000 |
| 15 | 0.743-0.753 (NIR) | 1000 |
| 16 | 0.862-0.877 (NIR) | 1000 |
| 17 | 0.890-0.920 (NIR) | 1000 |
| 18 | 0.931-0.941 (NIR) | 1000 |
| 19 | 0.915-0.965 (NIR) | 1000 |
| 20 | 3.660-3.840 (TIR) | 1000 |
| 21 | 3.929-3.989 (TIR) | 1000 |
| 22 | 3.929-3.989 (TIR) | 1000 |
| 23 | 4.020-4.080 (TIR) | 1000 |
| 24 | 4.433-4.498 (TIR) | 1000 |
| 25 | 4.482-4.549 (TIR) | 1000 |
| 26 | 1.360-1.390 (NIR) | 1000 |
| 27 | 6.535-6.895 (TIR) | 1000 |
| 28 | 7.175-7.475 (TIR) | 1000 |
| 29 | 8.400-8.700 (TIR) | 1000 |
| 30 | 9.580-9.880 (TIR) | 1000 |
| 31 | 10.780-11.280 (TIR) | 1000 |
| 32 | 11.770-12.270 (TIR) | 1000 |
| 33 | 13.185-13.485 (TIR) | 1000 |
| 34 | 13.485-13.785 (TIR) | 1000 |
| 35 | 13.785-14.085 (TIR) | 1000 |
| 36 | 14.085-14.385 (TIR) | 1000 |
EOS Terra Gateway at Goddard Space Flight Center
EOS MISR Data Sets at Langley
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CHAART Sensor Evaluation page