File:Landsat 9 about to launch.png

Landsat 9... and I'm remembering our Congressman in the late 60s saying we're going to build it (at Hughes) and we're going to launch not just an earth observation satellite, but an ongoing earth science and protection mission. And he did what he promised and the Landsat program was born. George E Brown led its Congressional support for over 25 yrs, until he passed away in 1999. 🙏 Here's to today, and hoping for a successful launch...

Godspeed Landsat...

One of the most consequential science missions in US history successfully launched a 9th Landsat earth imaging satellite. I am fortunate to be one of a few who watched earth science 'big science' missions of NASA come into existence w the efforts of Congressman George E. Brown, who was instrumental in creating, shepherding, and protecting earth- and atmospheric-science programs as they began. He knew, and I heard his reasoning, that we needed good data, facts, science to guide our policy decisions. NASA and a range of educational/university programs stepped up and created the first-generation beginning that we now have as data banks/baselines/earth system changes that are being measured and monitored in ways to guide political policy makers on climate, resources, protecting our life enabling 'thin blue layer' (www.thinbluelayer.com). Rep. George E. Brown (from East LA) went on offense to move the programs/missions forward and then defense to keep politicians such as Ronald Reagan who moved to zero out and kill the Landsat program. Altho I've often said that not many know or care about visionaries like George Brown, I have also often said visionaries-activists were essential in the 70s/80s/90s in giving our generation the tools and a knowledge base to deal with generational and intergenerational environmental challenges and crisis. Here's a tip of our #GreenPolicy360 hat to Landsat and those who made and are continuing to make big science, earth science real to guide us as we go...

🌎