Orbital catalog
Explore available active satellites, stations, rocket bodies and debris from current orbital element sets.
ISS and stations
Open the current International Space Station position and inspect its orbit on the same globe.
Launch context
Review upcoming missions and move directly to launch sites and related geographic context.
Search and filters
Find objects by name or catalog identifier, then narrow the scene by object type and orbital characteristics.
How orbital positions are calculated
PocketWorld loads Two-Line Element data from CelesTrak and propagates each supported orbit for the current time. The resulting position is a calculation from the published element set, not a direct GPS signal from the spacecraft.
The age of an element set matters. Recently published TLE data generally produces better short-term estimates, while older elements can drift. The app exposes source status and keeps missing or stale data separate from confirmed live updates.
What belongs in the space mode
The catalog includes satellites and other tracked orbital objects where source data is available. Separate views cover launch schedules, spaceports, observatories, meteor showers and planets so that orbital traffic is not mixed with unrelated markers.
Visibility is different from position
A satellite can be above the horizon without being visible to the naked eye. Visibility also depends on local time, sunlight, elevation, weather and object brightness. PocketWorld does not publish a city pass prediction unless the required calculation is available and current.
Space data sources
Orbital elements come from CelesTrak; mission and launch context uses NASA and Launch Library 2 where available.
Frequently asked questions
Are satellite positions real-time?
They are current propagated estimates based on the latest available orbital elements, not direct telemetry from each satellite.
Does the catalog include space debris?
Yes, when debris and rocket-body objects are present in the current public catalog and match the selected filters.
Can I search by NORAD catalog number?
The space search supports catalog identifiers and names for objects available in the loaded dataset.