The Multispectral Scanner (MSS) is one of the Earth's observing sensors introduced in the Landsat program. A Multispectral Scanner was placed aboard each of the first five Landsat satellites.[1]
The scanner was designed at Hughes Aerospace by Virginia Norwood. Her design called for a six band scanner, but the first one launched had only four bands. For her work on the design Norwood is called "The Mother of Landsat."[2]
MSS Technical Specifications
| Sensor type | Spatial Resolution | Spectral Range | Number of Bands | Temporal Resolution | Image Size | Swath |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| opto-mechanical | 68 m X 83 m (or 57 m) | 0.5 - 1.1 μm | 4, 5 (Landsat 3 only) | 18 days (L1-L3), 16 days (L4 & L5) | 185 km X 185 km | 185 km |