Free Satellite Imagery Availability

Scale Spacing Data series Coverage Provider Web Source Notes
Global 1-8 km MODIS Worldwide NASA Blue Marble

 
  1 km, 500m, and 250 m MODIS Much of the world   http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/ MODIS rapid response system
Regional 15 m and 30 m Landsat TM Geocover 2000 and Geocover 1990 Worldwide NASA  
  • Highly compressed
  • UTM format, 4x6 degree tiles, 15 m resolution, about 230 MB each
  • Direct viewing MrSid.
  30 m Landsat Global USGS USGS archive, includes Landsat 8

For better resolution, you will enter the realm of commercial imagery, and can expect significant costs. You could also check aerial photography.

Last revision 2/5/2017