The Center for Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) is a
United States Geological Survey
The United States Geological Survey (USGS), formerly simply known as the Geological Survey, is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, ...
data management, systems development, and research field center. It serves as the national
archive
An archive is an accumulation of historical records or materials – in any medium – or the physical facility in which they are located.
Archives contain primary source documents that have accumulated over the course of an individual ...
of
remotely sensed images of the Earth's land surface acquired by civilian
satellites
A satellite or artificial satellite is an object intentionally placed into orbit in outer space. Except for passive satellites, most satellites have an electricity generation system for equipment on board, such as solar panels or radioiso ...
and aircraft. EROS is located northeast of
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Sioux Falls () is the List of cities in South Dakota, most populous city in the U.S. state of South Dakota and the List of United States cities by population, 130th-most populous city in the United States. It is the county seat of Minnehaha Count ...
, between
Baltic and
Garretson.
In the 1960s the federal government decided it needed a single facility to handle and distribute
Landsat satellite data. A study determined that such a data center be located where it could receive transmissions directly from a satellite passing over any part of the conterminous United States. This limited the location to an elliptical area that stretched from Topeka, Kansas, to just north of Sioux Falls. A rural location was also recommended to avoid radio and TV interference.
South Dakota Senator Karl Mundt worked with local business leaders in South Dakota to buy the land necessary for the data center and in 1970 it was announced that the Sioux Falls area had been chosen as the site for EROS. Construction started shortly thereafter and the facility opened on August 7, 1973.
Operation
EROS has nearly 600 government and contractor employees. It is staffed by USGS employees and employees from private industry that work under contract to support EROS' mission.
See also
*
Airborne Science Program
References
External links
Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) official website
United States Department of the Interior
Satellite meteorology
Education in Minnehaha County, South Dakota
Buildings and structures in Minnehaha County, South Dakota
Tourist attractions in Minnehaha County, South Dakota
1973 establishments in South Dakota
Projects at EROS include:
*
Landsat
The Landsat program is the longest-running enterprise for acquisition of satellite imagery of Earth. It is a joint NASA / USGS program. On 23 July 1972, the Earth Resources Technology Satellite was launched. This was eventually renamed to La ...
*
LANDFIRE
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