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Ag Geek Speak · July 8 · 14 min

3.5 Tiny Bytes: Landsat vs Sentinel for NDVI and Variable-Rate Maps

We take a practical trip into satellite imagery and explain how Landsat and Sentinel support real agronomy work like NDVI analysis and variable rate mapping. We break down what makes these datasets reliable, how resolution changes what you can see, and why revisit timing matters when clouds get in the way. In this episode, we tackle: • free government-operated imagery through NASA USGS and the European Space Agency • using multi-band satellite data to calculate NDVI for crop vigor mapping • why sun-synchronous orbits create consistent lighting and shadows • resolution explained as ground area per pixel and why 10 m shows more detail than 30 m • Landsat program timeline and the Landsat 7 data gap problem • constellations as a backup plan and a way to increase image frequency • Sentinel revisit cadence vs Landsat revisit cadence and what that means during the season Tune in next time for a tiny bite of knowledge from GK Technology, where we have a map and an app for that. Related episodes: S1 20.5 Tiny Bytes: Choosing Quality Imagery https://www.buzzsprout.com/2297340/episodes/16135793 S2 1.5 Tiny Bytes: Check Out GK Technology's Imagery Library https://www.buzzsprout.com/2297340/episodes/16524859 GK Technology Info on obtaining satellite imagery: https://gktechinc.com/data-links/ https://gktechinc.com/

0:00 · Tiny Bytes Takes On Satellites-14:34
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We take a practical trip into satellite imagery and explain how Landsat and Sentinel support real agronomy work like NDVI analysis and variable rate mapping. We break down what makes these datasets reliable, how resolution changes what you can see, and why revisit timing matters when clouds get in the way. 

In this episode, we tackle:

• free government-operated imagery through NASA USGS and the European Space Agency 
• using multi-band satellite data to calculate NDVI for crop vigor mapping 
• why sun-synchronous orbits create consistent lighting and shadows 
• resolution explained as ground area per pixel and why 10 m shows more detail than 30 m 
• Landsat program timeline and the Landsat 7 data gap problem 
• constellations as a backup plan and a way to increase image frequency 
• Sentinel revisit cadence vs Landsat revisit cadence and what that means during the season 

Tune in next time for a tiny bite of knowledge from GK Technology, where we have a map and an app for that. 

Related episodes: 

  • S1 20.5 Tiny Bytes: Choosing Quality Imagery https://www.buzzsprout.com/2297340/episodes/16135793
  • S2 1.5 Tiny Bytes: Check Out GK Technology's Imagery Library https://www.buzzsprout.com/2297340/episodes/16524859

GK Technology Info on obtaining satellite imagery: https://gktechinc.com/data-links/

https://gktechinc.com/

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