Satellite Map
Welcome to Satellite Map.
This application maps the current location of about 19,300 manmade objects orbiting the Earth.
Use the Preset dropdown menu to conveniently select a subset of satellites, for example, Russian or low earth orbit satellites. Selected satellites are colored red.
The buttons and sliders below the Preset dropdown can be used to build your own selection or refine a preset selection. It is possible to construct quite complex selections, for example, American satellites in low earth orbit (apogee/perigee <2,000km) that are not junk.
To clear the selection, click Presets > Reset All.
Clicking on an individual satellite in the 3d view will display a panel with detailed information. Links to NASA's website are provided for additional information. In addition to displaying name and orbital details, the 3d view displays the satellite's future trajectory with respect to the Earth's surface. By default the trajectory is for one day but this can be changed to either one hour or one week.
Perhaps the most surprising fact for users of this application is the large proportion of orbital objects classified as junk. Approximately 3/4 of manmade objects are spent rocket boosters or debris from satellite collisions.
It is important to note that satellite positions are derived from an ephemeris database downloaded in July 14, 2020. As such this app will not display satellites launched since then or reflect intentionally or unintentionally orbital adjustments. Similarly atmospheric friction and gravitational forces are likely to influence orbital position. However the different between projected and actual position is unlikely to be perceptible at the scale used.
If you encounter any problems or have suggestions for improvements please don't hesiste to let us know here.
This application was designed and developed by Esri's Applications Prototype Lab in Redlands, California. The application was built using the following technologies:
Satellite descriptions and ephemeris are sourced from space-tracker.org. The satellite-js JavaScript library is used to convert the TLE for each satellite into a geographic location.
Souce code for this application can be found here.