Live Space Station Tracking Map

The tracker shows where the Space Station is right now and its path 90 minutes ago (-1.5 hr) and 90 minutes ahead (+1.5 hr). The dark overlay indicates where it is nighttime in the world.

Map Source: www.esa.int


Sighting Opportunities: Select your location

Select your location

Where and when can I see the ISS?

"The International Space Station's trajectory passes over more than 90% of Earth's population," according to a statement from NASA. The ISS zips around Earth at an average speed of 17,500 mph ( 28,000 km/h), completing 16 orbits per day. As the ISS orbits with an inclination of 51.6 degrees, if you live beyond 51.6 degrees north or south of the equator the ISS will never appear directly overhead.

The ISS is only visible because it reflects sunlight. It isn't bright enough to be seen in the middle of the day and the best time to view the ISS is either at dawn or dusk. Viewing opportunities of the ISS can vary between one sighting a month to several a week, depending on your location and the orbit of the ISS.

ISS predictions and alerts

NASA's spot the station widget (below) is a great tool for quickly finding out upcoming ISS viewing opportunities. Simply pop in the location you wish to know for ISS sighting opportunities and let the widget work its magic. It will tell you the time of the ISS flyover along with how long it is visible, the maximum height it will reach in the sky and which direction it will appear and disappear from your field of view.

In addition, NASA's Spot the Station website is a great place to explore ISS sighting opportunities in your area. You can even sign up for email or text alerts for when the space station is flying over so you'll never miss a viewing opportunity again.

Though it's worth noting you will only get NASA's Spot the Station alerts when the ISS is passing over with a maximum height of at least 40 degrees, this is because the ISS will be visible above most landscapes at this height.

NASA has also released a "Spot The Station" app, which can be downloaded for free on iOS and Android devices. The app builds on the space agency's official "Spot the Station" website and provides a wealth of information and added capabilities to help curious skywatchers see and track the ISS.

If you would like to know where the space station is right now, ESA's live map has got you covered. The informative map shows where the ISS is as well as its speed and altitude.

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