ISS Tracker
Follow the International Space Station live on a world map. The marker moves in real time, the line shows where the ISS has been in the last 45 minutes and where it goes in the next 90, and you can see its altitude, speed and how far it is from you right now.
Last updated:
Distance from you
Share your location (it stays in your browser) or type coordinates to see how far away the ISS is and whether it is above your horizon.
How to use the ISS Tracker
- Open the page: the map centers on the ISS and starts updating every 5 seconds.
- Read the stats under the map: latitude, longitude, altitude, speed and whether the station is in sunlight.
- Follow the ground track: the dashed line is where it has been, the solid line where it will pass in the next 90 minutes.
- Press Find my location (or type your coordinates) to see the distance, direction and elevation angle from you.
- Pan or zoom the map; press the target button to recenter and follow the ISS again.
How the tracker works
The marker is the station's sub-satellite point, the spot on Earth directly below it. Every 5 seconds the page requests the current latitude, longitude, altitude and speed from the public wheretheiss.at service, and between updates it moves the marker smoothly along the great circle between the last two positions. The ground track comes from predicted positions every 5 minutes, joined along great circles.
Distances from you use spherical geometry with Earth's mean radius R = 6,371 km. With θ the angle between you and the sub-satellite point and h the ISS altitude:
- Ground distance = R · θ
- Straight-line distance = √(R² + (R+h)² − 2R(R+h)·cos θ)
- Elevation angle = atan2(cos θ − R/(R+h), sin θ); positive means the ISS is above your horizon.
- Footprint radius = R · acos(R/(R+h)), about 2,250 km at 420 km altitude.
ISS facts
| Quantity | Value |
|---|---|
| Altitude | about 400–420 km (250–260 mi) |
| Orbital speed | about 7.66 km/s = 27,600 km/h = 17,100 mph |
| Orbital period | about 92–93 minutes (≈15.5 orbits per day) |
| Inclination | 51.6° (passes between 51.6° N and 51.6° S) |
| Westward shift per orbit | about 23° of longitude |
| Size | about 109 m (357 ft) end to end, roughly a football field |
| Mass | about 420,000 kg (925,000 lb) |
| Continuously crewed since | November 2, 2000 |
Tips for spotting the ISS
- Best time: within about 2 hours after sunset or before sunrise, when your sky is dark but the station, 400 km up, is still in sunlight. Watch for "In sunlight" in the stats and a dark sky where you are.
- What it looks like: a bright, steady white point (often brighter than any star) gliding across the sky in 2–6 minutes, with no blinking lights. It can fade out suddenly as it enters Earth's shadow.
- Use the footprint: if your "You" marker is inside the yellow circle, the station is above your horizon. Higher elevation angles mean a brighter, longer pass.
- Learn the sky with the Night Sky Map so you can describe a pass ("between Vega and Arcturus"), and check Planets Visible Tonight so you don't mistake Venus or Jupiter for the ISS.
Frequently asked questions
How fast does the ISS travel?
About 27,600 km/h (17,100 mph), or roughly 7.66 km every second. At that speed it circles Earth about every 92–93 minutes, about 15.5 times a day.
How high is the International Space Station?
It orbits roughly 400–420 km (250–260 miles) above Earth. Thin atmospheric drag slowly lowers the orbit, so it is periodically boosted back up, which is why the altitude shown changes over time.
Why does the ground track look like a wave?
The ISS orbit is tilted 51.6° to the equator, so it swings between 51.6° north and 51.6° south. Drawn on a flat map, that tilted circle becomes a wave, and because Earth rotates underneath, each orbit passes about 23° of longitude farther west.
When can I see the ISS with my eyes?
You can see it when it passes over your sky while your sky is dark and the station is still in sunlight, usually within about two hours after sunset or before sunrise. It looks like a bright, steady, fast-moving star with no blinking lights and crosses the sky in a few minutes.
Where does the live position come from?
The page asks the free, public wheretheiss.at API for the station's current position and its predicted positions, which are computed from the official orbital elements (TLE). Only those requests are made; your own location is used only inside your browser.
What does the circle around the ISS mean?
It is the footprint: the area of Earth from which the station is above the horizon right now. At about 420 km altitude it is a circle roughly 2,250 km (1,400 miles) in radius.
Is the ISS visible from everywhere?
Because of its 51.6° inclination, the ISS passes over places between about 51.6° north and south. From somewhat higher latitudes it can still be seen low over the horizon, but from near the poles it never rises.
Are all the tools on FreeToolCabin tested for quality and accuracy?
Yes! Every tool on our site undergoes automated Q/A testing in real browser environments to ensure high precision, correct output, and zero errors. If you happen to spot a bug or have a suggestion, please contact us at [email protected] and our team will review it right away.