SEARCH GUIDE
Advanced Satellite Search: Names, NORAD IDs and International Designators
The Advanced Satellite Search tool is for finding a specific Earth-orbiting object when you know all or part of its name, its NORAD catalog number, or its COSPAR international designator. Exact identifiers are especially useful when several spacecraft have similar names.
Which identifier should you use?
A NORAD catalog number identifies one tracked object numerically. An international designator connects an object to its launch year and sequence. A spacecraft name is easier to remember but can include abbreviations, operator naming conventions or later changes.
If an exact NORAD number is available, search it first. If not, try the distinctive part of the spacecraft name. After opening a result, the live tracker displays the available catalog metadata with the orbital element set.
What happens after you open a result?
The individual live page propagates the current orbital element set using SGP4 and displays map position, altitude, speed and orbital fields. Set your observer location to add azimuth, elevation, range and geometric pass predictions.
Related tools
Browse by category in the Satellite Directory, discover recent launches, check satellites above your location, or start with popular trackers.
Data-source note
Search results and Earth-orbit tracking depend on public catalog data available to SpaceTracker.live. Catalog presence does not guarantee a payload is currently active. Official mission or operator sources should be used for operational status.
Source
Educational-use note: SpaceTracker.live is an independent educational website. Positions and pass predictions are calculated from third-party orbital elements or ephemerides and may be delayed or approximate. Do not use them for navigation, collision avoidance or other safety-critical decisions.