Landsat 6. Artist's impression of the Landsat 6 satellite in orbit around the Earth. Landsat 6 was intended to continue the Earth observation work performed by Landsats 4 and 5. To this end, it was equipped with the same 30-metre resolution Thematic Mapper (TM) imaging system, but with an additional 15-metre resolution panchromatic band sensor. Landsat 6 was launched on a Titan 2 rocket on 5 October 1993 from Vandenberg, California. Although the rocket placed Landsat 6 in the correct temporary orbit, the satellite's apogee motor is thought to have failed, causing the satellite to re-enter the atmosphere and burn up over the Pacific Ocean.