SatChecker is a satellite tracking and prediction API from the IAU CPS (IAU Centre for the Protection of the Dark and Quiet Sky from Satellite Constellation Interference) SatHub group. Its primary goal is to help everyone observe the night sky without interference from satellites. SatChecker uses Two-Line Element Sets (TLEs) from Space Track (and Celestrak), and will eventually incorporate additional data formats to improve the accuracy and flexibility of satellite position predictions.
SatChecker currently allows users to:
- Predict satellite positions at a given time and location
- Evaluate field of view interference by returning all satellites expected to pass through a specified region of the sky at a given time
- Access satellite metadata and TLE history, including alternate designations and other information
These capabilities are useful both for verifying satellite positions and for avoiding satellites during observations. The system can support observation planning by identifying possible conflicts with satellite passes and helping users time their exposures accordingly.
Planned features include:
- Satellite brightness estimates
- Alerting for predicted satellite passes that match specific position and brightness thresholds
- Uncertainties in position prediction from using orbital ephemeris data with covariances
Read the Docs documentation for the current version (API and code)
The contributing guide has links to the info to get things running locally and guidelines on making changes.
The wiki has all the info on setup, documentation, architecture and design info, and general information on the project.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
