Australia formally joins US-led Landsat Next satellite program

Australia has formally joined the United States-led Landsat Next satellite program, cementing an enduring partnership and building on nearly half a century of collaboration in satellite land imaging.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken signed a bilateral statement at the Australia-US Ministerial Consultations (AUSMIN) officially joining Australia to the Landsat Next Earth observation mission as a core partner.

The formal signing is a key milestone for Australia's involvement in the pioneering project, which will map the earth's surface and support mining exploration, environmental monitoring, agriculture and disaster management.

The Landsat Next program, to be launched in 2031, will continue nearly 50 years of Earth observation collaboration between Geoscience Australia and the United States Geological Survey.

Under the Landsat Next agreement, Australia will commit $207.4 million over the next four years for Geoscience Australia to develop advanced data processing and analytics capabilities. The funding will also provide essential support to the Landsat Next mission through upgraded ground station capabilities in Alice Springs.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator the Hon Penny Wong:

“The establishment of the Australia-United States Landsat Next Partnership will build on our near half-century of cooperation in Earth observation.

“The satellite data delivered through this partnership will not only be of benefit to our two countries, but its critical insights will help the Indo-Pacific to optimise food security and agricultural production, improve urban infrastructure planning, and prepare for disasters.”

Quotes attributable to Minister for Resources and Northern Australia, Madeleine King MP:

“The Landsat Next partnership will ensure Australia has access to the next generation of Landsat satellite data, which will deliver the clearest images of our planet from space.

“It is an investment in science that will improve our understanding of our country and our region.

“It is the biggest and best selfie we could take of our great country.

“The data will be important for industries such as agriculture and mining and will be an essential tool in managing natural disasters.

“Investment in publicly available and free geoscience data is a critical element in increasing the productivity of our resources and agriculture sectors for generations to come.

“Support for Landsat Next complements the Albanese Government's investment in Geoscience Australia through the Resourcing Australia's Prosperity program.”