On this day in 1972 Landsat-1, the first US Earth-resources satellite was launched. The satellite, based on a modified weather satellite, was placed in a polar orbit to obtain continual coverage of the whole globe for the next six years.
Landsat-1 had a three-camera system to obtain visible light and near infrared photographic images of Earth; a four-channel multispectral scanner (MSS) to obtain radiometric images of Earth; a receiver to collect feedback from ground stations for relay back to NASA, and two video tape recorders to provide backup when the spacecraft was out-of-range of NASA's ground control.
One of its more notable discoveries was a small island off the coast of Canada, which was later named Landsat Island after the satellite.
You can read more about the Landsat program athttp://landsat.gsfc.nasa.gov/ (image courtesy ofhttp://www.oneonta.edu/faculty/baumanpr/geosat2/RS%20Landsat/RS-Landsat.htm )