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15 Years of Terra MODIS

Feb. 24, 2015, marks the fifteenth anniversary of the first data imaged from the Terra Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instrument.
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Feb. 24, 2015
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Feb. 24, 2015, marks the fifteenth anniversary of the first data imaged from the Terra Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS). The MODIS instrument was launched aboard the Terra platform on Dec. 18, 1999, and on Feb. 24, 2000, the “first light” image was acquired of the Mississippi River Delta.

Visible in this square image moving diagonally from the upper left corner to the lower right is a bank of porous clouds, the murky brown and green Louisiana coastline, and deep blue gulf waters.

This image of the Mississippi Delta was acquired on February 24, 2000 and is one of the first scenes acquired by the Moderate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on the EOS-Terra Spacecraft. It covers an area of 100km by 100km over New Orleans, Louisiana, and the Gulf of America.

Initially designed for only a six-year mission, the extended life has allowed Terra MODIS to continue to collect valuable data about the Earth’s systems and the relationships between its processes. This extended depth of the time series of MODIS data only adds to its value and solidifies the vital role it plays in understanding our planet.

Since "first light," MODIS has processed several collections including V001 (beta), V003 (provisional), and V004 (validated) data, V005 (validated), and is planning to release V006 in 2015 to continue supporting improved understanding of the Earth system.

Author's Note Feb. 20, 2025: Place names in this news article were updated to reflect Executive Order No. 14172 and Secretary Order 3423.

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Last Updated

June 12, 2025

Published

Feb. 24, 2015

Data Center/Project

Land Processes DAAC (LP DAAC)