Virginia Norwood

American physicist

Born: January 8, 1927 · Died: March 26, 2023

Science & DiscoveryTechnology & Innovation

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Overview

Major work

Virginia Tower Norwood was an American aerospace engineer, inventor, and physicist.

Who was Virginia Norwood?

Virginia Tower Norwood (January 8, 1927 – March 26, 2023) was an American aerospace engineer, inventor, and physicist. She has been called "The Mother of Landsat" for this work.

Historical significance

She was best known for her contribution to the Landsat program, having designed the Multispectral Scanner which was first used on Landsat 1.

Related on thisDay

How Did Landsat 1 Turn Earth Into Digital Data?

Landsat 1 launched a new era of civilian Earth observation, proving the value of digital multispectral images from orbit.

Sources and further reading

Use the dated article for the day-specific account; use these references to check the event record and explore its wider historical context.

Date article: How Did Landsat 1 Turn Earth Into Digital Data?Wikipedia source

Cite this page

MLA

“Virginia Norwood.” thisDay, thisday.info/people/virginia-norwood/. Accessed 26 Oct. 2026.

APA

Virginia Norwood. (n.d.). thisDay. Retrieved October 26, 2026, from https://thisday.info/people/virginia-norwood/

Chicago

“Virginia Norwood.” thisDay. Accessed October 26, 2026. https://thisday.info/people/virginia-norwood/.

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