ISS Tracker
Where is the ISS right now? Follow along, with real-time ISS location.
From orbit to your own sky.The ISS passes Earth all day. A visible flyover depends on where you are, sunlight and a dark-enough sky.
Plan a sightingFollow the ISS Location and Path
The marker follows the point directly beneath the station. The dashed purple line traces the previous half orbit; the blue line projects the next half orbit. Zoom in to explore a region, center the map on the ISS, or switch between kilometres and miles in the orbital snapshot.
Pause freezes the prediction so you can study it; Return to live catches up with the current time. For a rotating Earth, a closer view of the orbit, detailed TLE data or charts, choose Open ISS in 3D. A world-map position alone does not tell you whether the station can be seen from home.
What Time Will the Space Station Be Visible Tonight?
There is no single viewing time for everyone. It depends on where you are and whether the ISS is illuminated while your sky is dark enough. Set your location below, or use the dedicated ISS visible tonight page to focus on this viewing night.
Viewing the Space Station Tonight
Note the estimated viewing interval and starting direction. Preview the sky path to see how high to look. Clouds, haze and nearby obstructions can still block the view.
Get to Know the International Space Station
The ISS is an orbiting laboratory where international crews live and carry out research. Its first module launched in 1998. It moves through low Earth orbit, so its ground position changes continuously. These general figures provide context; the map shows calculated values for the loaded orbit.
The orbit slowly evolves, and maneuvers can adjust it. Updated orbital elements keep a tracker useful. The live map explains the station’s journey; a local pass forecast answers the separate question of when to look up.
ISS Tracking Questions
Where is the International Space Station right now?
The marker on the map shows its current predicted position. Latitude and longitude identify the point on Earth directly underneath it; altitude is its height above Earth. Use Open ISS in 3D to follow it on the main globe with the familiar Info, TLE and Charts controls.
How fast does the ISS travel, and how long is one orbit?
It travels at roughly 28,000 kilometres per hour and circles Earth in around 90 minutes. The live figures above are calculated from the loaded orbit and vary as the station moves. One orbit does not mean one visible pass over your location.
Why does the ISS path look curved on a flat map?
A tilted orbit drawn on a rotating, spherical Earth becomes a curved line when projected onto a flat world map. The path also shifts between successive revolutions as Earth rotates below the station. Breaks at the edge of the map are crossings of the date line.
Does the map show a live video of the station?
It shows a calculated position, not a camera image or direct telemetry. Orbital elements describe the orbit at a recorded epoch; SGP4 predicts the station’s position at the current time. New orbital measurements, atmospheric drag and maneuvers can change the prediction.
Why can the ISS be in sunlight when my sky is dark?
The station is far above Earth’s surface, so sunlight can still reach it after the Sun has dropped below your horizon. That is why some evening and early-morning passes are good viewing opportunities. A pass in full Earth shadow will not reflect direct sunlight toward you.
Can I save the ISS in my existing account?
Yes. Open ISS in 3D, use its existing favorite control, and find it again through Favorites or Mission Control. This dedicated page is free to use without signing in and does not change your saved satellites or configurations.
Data, Timing and Sources
ISS predictions use NORAD 25544 orbital elements from our existing daily Space-Track data file and the SGP4 model. This page caches a small ISS snapshot and checks for a refreshed snapshot about once an hour when visited. Browser calculations do not fetch new orbit data every second. Reload before observing; a recently loaded page can still contain older measurements.
Element epoch: 2026-10-29 13:31:42 UTC.
Source file last modified: 2026-10-30 16:00:43 UTC.
This is an independent tracking utility. Viewing predictions are estimates, with no weather or brightness forecast. Mission background and observing guidance draw on the official sources below.