Sat Tracker

All-in-one satellite tracking app built with TypeScript, React, satellite.js, and Cesium. It runs in the browser and as an Electron desktop app from the same codebase.

Test it out here!

Features

• Manual TLE, 3LE, and OMM JSON ingestion
• CelesTrak auto-fetch by NORAD ID or curated groups
• Live propagation with look angles, sun/shadow state, and ground tracks
• Pass prediction with AOS, LOS, TCA, azimuth arcs, sky plot, and elevation chart
• 2D map tracker with optional lazy-loaded 3D Cesium globe
• IndexedDB persistence for satellites, observer sites, watchlists, and settings
• CSV and ICS export, plus native save dialogs in Electron

Scripts

npm run dev             # Electron dev app
npm run dev:web         # Web-only dev server
npm run build           # Electron + web production builds
npm run build:web       # Static web build in dist-web/
npm run build:electron
npm run lint
npm run typecheck
npm run test
npm run test:watch

Desktop builds

Build both Windows desktop artifacts:

npm run dist

The generated files are written to release/:

• Sat Tracker Setup 1.0.0.exe installer
• Sat Tracker 1.0.0.exe portable executable

You can also build them separately:

npm run dist:installer
npm run dist:portable
npm run dist:mac
npm run dist:linux

CI builds desktop artifacts on Windows, macOS, and Linux. Open the latest CI workflow run and download the platform artifact you need:

• sat-tracker-windows
• sat-tracker-macos
• sat-tracker-linux

Web deploy

Build the static site:

npm run build:web

Serve dist-web/ behind Caddy, nginx, or any static file host. The build copies Cesium assets into dist-web/cesium/.

Example Caddy snippet:

sat.example.com {
  root * /var/www/sat-tracker/dist-web
  file_server
  try_files {path} /index.html
}

Electron

Production Electron builds output to out/:

• out/main/index.js
• out/preload/index.mjs
• out/renderer/index.html

Packaged desktop builds output platform artifacts to release/.

Observer workflow

1. Open Settings and set your ground station latitude, longitude, altitude, and minimum elevation.
2. Add satellites in Catalog by NORAD ID, manual TLE paste, or CelesTrak group import.
3. Use Passes to compute upcoming visible passes for your watchlist.
4. Open Tracker for live position and ground track visualization.
5. Use Details for orbital elements, current look angles, and next passes.

Notes

• CelesTrak GP data is fetched directly from celestrak.org.
• OMM JSON is stored internally so the app can handle larger catalog numbers as TLE-only sources age out.
• SGP4 accuracy depends on TLE freshness; configure the automatic refresh interval in Settings.