Live ISS Tracker & Real-Time Space Station Map
This is our live window on the International Space Station. The map updates in near real time: latitude, longitude, altitude, speed, visibility — plus a trace of where it's just been. It refreshes every few seconds so you're always current.
Curious when you can see it over your location? Try our Next ISS Pass tool, it gives exact times, directions and brightness. Scroll on for the Earth video feed, data notes and answers to common questions.
🌍 Live ISS Earth View (HDEV)
Watch Earth from the International Space Station in real-time through NASA's High Definition Earth Viewing (HDEV) cameras. Note: The feed may show a black screen when the ISS is on the night side of Earth or during camera switching.
About This Dashboard
This project is the work of Neil and Leo Johnson to learn coding and pursue our passion for space. To contact us please e‑mail info@issinfo.net.
ISS Tracker FAQs
How often is the ISS position updated?
The figures in the information panel update roughly every 5 seconds. Between network updates the marker position is smoothly interpolated so movement looks continuous.
How accurate is the live ISS map?
Ground track accuracy is generally within a few kilometers relative to authoritative orbital data. For visual spotting, timing down to seconds matters—use the Next ISS Pass page for localized predictions.
Why might I not see the ISS even during a pass?
You need darkness or deep twilight while the ISS is still sunlit. Daylight passes and those when the station is in Earth's shadow are invisible to the naked eye.
Altitude vs elevation?
Altitude (~400 km) is the spacecraft's height above Earth's surface. Elevation (in pass predictions) is the angle above your horizon for a specific pass moment.
Where do you get the data?
The live position, velocity and ground track come from locally propagating the ISS Two‑Line Elements (TLE) published by CelesTrak using an open‑source SGP4 implementation. Updates run every few seconds so the marker moves smoothly. If a fresh TLE can’t be fetched briefly, the last good state is shown until the next successful update. Astronaut / people‑in‑space data comes from Open Notify. Reverse geocoded country names for the sub‑satellite point use OpenStreetMap Nominatim (best‑effort). We’re grateful to those providers and the open‑source community.
How can I plan my next sighting?
Head to the Next ISS Pass tool. It auto-detects your location (or you can enter coordinates) and lists visible passes with direction, elevation and brightness (magnitude).