Landsat 6 omitted the Multi-Spectral Scanner found on its predecessors, but carried an Enhanced Thematic Mapper, which improved on the previous Thematic Mapper by adding a 15m-resolution panchromatic band.

Data collected from the sensors was stored on tapes and transmitted to ground stations at 85 Mbit/s.

[3] The Enhanced Thematic Mapper was designed and manufactured by Santa Barbara Research Center.

Martin Marietta and NOAA both convened review boards to investigate the failure.

Both boards determined that Landsat 6 did not achieve orbit due to a ruptured hydrazine manifold, and recommended a task force to investigate hydrazine feed systems that were considered "safe and failure-free".