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Earth Sciences Division
Operational

Thermal Infrared Sensor 2 (TIRS-2)

Landsat 9’s Thermal Infrared Sensor 2 (TIRS-2) will measure land surface temperature in two thermal infrared bands using the same technology that was used for TIRS on Landsat 8, which uses principles of quantum physics to measure emissions of infrared energy. TIRS-2 will be an improved version of Landsat 8's TIRS, both with regards to instrument class and stray light reduction (see below). However, both the design and specs for TIRS-2 will remain closely aligned with that of TIRS. The TIRS-2 instrument will be a two-band thermal imaging sensor that will provide imagery consistent with Landsat 8 thermal spectral, spatial, radiometric and geometric qualities to enable consistent retrieval of surface temperature. TIRS-2 will provide two spectral bands with a maximum ground sampling distance, both in-track and cross track, of 100 m (328 ft) for both bands. TIRS-2 provides an internal blackbody calibration source as well as space view capabilities.

Launch Date

September 2021

Class

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Website

Key Staffs

Landsat 9’s Thermal Infrared Sensor 2 (TIRS-2) will measure land surface temperature in two thermal infrared bands using the same technology that was used for TIRS on Landsat 8, which uses principles of quantum physics to measure emissions of infrared energy. TIRS-2 will be an improved version of Landsat 8's TIRS, both with regards to instrument class and stray light reduction (see below). However, both the design and specs for TIRS-2 will remain closely aligned with that of TIRS. The TIRS-2 instrument will be a two-band thermal imaging sensor that will provide imagery consistent with Landsat 8 thermal spectral, spatial, radiometric and geometric qualities to enable consistent retrieval of surface temperature. TIRS-2 will provide two spectral bands with a maximum ground sampling distance, both in-track and cross track, of 100 m (328 ft) for both bands. TIRS-2 provides an internal blackbody calibration source as well as space view capabilities.

Related Publications

2025. "Landsat Program.", Reference Module in Earth Systems and Environmental Sciences, [https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-443-13220-9.00045-7] [Journal Article/Letter]

2023. "Thermal band observations of the May 2022 total lunar eclipse by the Landsat thermal infrared sensors.", Infrared Remote Sensing and Instrumentation XXXI, [10.1117/12.2682931] [Proceedings]

2024. "Need and vision for global medium-resolution Landsat and Sentinel-2 data products.", Remote Sensing of Environment, 300 113918 [10.1016/j.rse.2023.113918] [Journal Article/Letter]

2022. "Landsat 9 Thermal Infrared Sensor 2 (TIRS-2) Stray Light Mitigation and Assessment.", IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing, 1-1 [10.1109/tgrs.2022.3177312] [Journal Article/Letter]