Landsat’s Economic Value to the Nation Continues to Increase
Release Date:
March 4, 2021
The value of Landsat satellite imagery to the U.S. and global economies has increased notably in recent years. Landsat imagery provided an estimated $3.45 billion in economic benefits to users worldwide in 2017, compared to worldwide benefits of $2.19 billion in 2011.
Integrating people, economies, and social systems into environmental decisions is inherently interdisciplinary and requires working across economic, social, and natural sciences. The Social and Economic Analysis Branch, part of the Fort Collins Science Center, is a leader in providing unique capability in USGS by guiding projects on the cutting edge of conducting interdisciplinary science in this complex context. One example includes a long-term project led by Fort Collins Science Center (FORT) social scientists to research the value of Landsat.