Landsat 10 to Double Spectral Bands for Bloom Tracking

The newly selected Landsat Science Team will prepare the 2031 mission to monitor water quality across the United States.

Updated on Oct. 21, 2026 in Environmental

Bold flat-color editorial illustration in navy and cream, depicting a satellite sensor focusing on a river basin, symbolizing environmental monitoring. — NASA and the USGS have selected a new science team to support the Landsat 10 mission, focusing on tracking harmful algal blooms. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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NASA and the USGS have selected the Landsat Science Team for the 2026-2030 tenure. This research group will support the upcoming Landsat 10 mission, which is designed to monitor harmful algal blooms with increased spectral sensitivity.

Why it matters

Harmful algal blooms impact all 50 U.S. states and cause approximately $100 million in annual economic losses. By enhancing satellite observation capabilities, the program aims to provide more granular data for tracking these events across large areas.

Landsat 10 will feature 26 spectral bands, an increase of 15 bands compared to the 11 found on Landsat 8 and 9. This configuration enables monitoring at 20-meter spatial scales.

The players

NASA

The federal agency responsible for space research and aeronautics that manages satellite development and earth observation missions.

USGS

The science bureau within the U.S. Department of the Interior that maintains land remote sensing databases and coordinates the Landsat program.

Ryan O'Shea

A researcher and newly appointed member of the 2026-2030 Landsat Science Team.

The details

The mission utilizes refined spectral bands in the red, violet, orange, red-edge, and near-infrared regions to improve detection accuracy. Researchers process this data using machine-learning based atmospheric correction and water quality parameter retrieval algorithms, which isolate the spectral signatures of algal blooms from other environmental noise. This methodology complements manual field sampling by providing synoptic, large-area coverage.

2026-2030: The tenure period for the newly selected Landsat Science Team.
2031: The expected launch date for the Landsat 10 satellite.

The Tech Race

The selection of the new science team marks the latest phase of the long-standing NASA-USGS Landsat satellite program. This research effort builds on the trajectory set by the Landsat 8 and 9 predecessors while preparing for the 2031 launch of the upgraded Landsat 10 platform.

State agencies and environmental researchers will gain access to higher-resolution data for tracking harmful algal blooms across the country starting in 2031. This capability intends to reduce the economic impact of these blooms by improving the speed and scale of detection.

The takeaway

The addition of 15 spectral bands represents a significant evolution in satellite-based water quality monitoring. Interested parties should watch for the upcoming 2031 launch of Landsat 10 to see these enhanced spatial and spectral resolutions applied to field research.