EO1

EO-1 stands for Earth Observing-1, a NASA satellite launched in 2000 as part of the New Millennium Program to test and validate new remote sensing technologies for Earth observation. The mission carried two primary instruments: the Advanced Land Imager (ALI) and the Hyperion hyperspectral imager. ALI provided high-resolution multispectral imagery intended to improve land imaging and support calibration for other sensors, while Hyperion collected hyperspectral data across the visible to shortwave infrared spectrum with hundreds of narrow spectral bands, enabling detailed surface composition analysis.

EO-1 operated in a near-polar, sun-synchronous orbit at approximately 700 kilometers above the Earth, with a data collection cadence that allowed regular coverage of large areas. The mission’s objectives included technology demonstration, sensor calibration and characterization, and the generation of calibrated data products for scientific and practical applications. It supported cross-calibration with other Earth-observing systems such as Landsat, contributed to the development of hyperspectral data processing techniques, and provided long-term data archives for research in geology, agriculture, forestry, and environmental monitoring.

Data from ALI and Hyperion were archived and distributed through NASA and USGS data centers, enabling broad use in the remote sensing community. EO-1’s legacy lies in its demonstration of hyperspectral imaging and high-resolution land imaging from space, influencing later missions and the application of hyperspectral data for material mapping, land cover analysis, and environmental studies.