Satellite Tracker

This script tracks and maps predicted orbits paths (from the current time) for ISRO managed satellites. Categorized and plotted as LEO maps (low earth orbit satellites), NAV maps (navigational satellites) and GEO maps (communication satellites).

Table of contents

• General info
• Screenshots
• Setup
• How to run
• Updates
• To-do list

General info

Current version of this project is written for satellites operated and managed by ISRO (Indian Space Research Organization). Program creates a local TLE file, specifically grouped for all ISRO managed satellites from celestrak.com. For further usage program will use it from locally created TLE file and will be updated once in 2 weeks based on the TLE timestamp.
 
LEO orbit will be predicted for the user supplied time in minutes. Default value is 30 minutes.
Line no.298 on the code can be modified accordingly. tracking_minutes = 45

Red circle on the map shows the satellites current position (with satellites name on it) and the orbit track with a unique marker.

 
NAV maps shows the track of navigational satellites. As this is a slow moving one, I have kept the variable value as,
tracking_minutes = 600

 
GEO maps shows the location of the communication satellites. As they are located in close proximity, there are huge overlaps on the satellite markers.

Screenshots

Output maps generated by the script.

Setup

Script is written with python (Version: 3.6) on linux. Additional modules required :

• numpy (tested with Version: 1.18.4 )
• matplotlib (tested with Version: 2.1.1 )
• skyfield (tested with Version: 1.22)
• Cartopy ( tested with Version: 0.18.0 )
  • requires Shapely (1.7.0)

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Or if you have python3 and virtual environment,

• python3 -m venv venv
• pip install requirements.txt

How to run

• Verify and install required modules
• run python satellite_tracker.py.
• It generates three png files (LEO map, NAV map and GEO map) at the current directory and opens the plot window one by one.
• If image files are not needed, change the flag to False on the code which reads
• savePng = True to savePng = False

Updates

• [28June2020] Included api and plots for user defined satellite list (single/multiple).
  Results for the list provided as in line 390 of source code
  sat_names=['CARTOSAT-3','RISAT 2','RISAT-1','RISAT-2B','RISAT-2BR1']

• [31Oct2022]
  1. Removed “RISAT 2” entry as the satellite has reentered the atmosphere.
• [02July2020]
  1. TLE archive functionality added. When refreshing TLE’s after two weeks, old local TLE will now be archived with timestamp attached.
     • If celestrak.com does not return TLEs (for whatever reason), program will now skip tracing those satellites instead of reporting errors.
• [06Dec2020]
  1. Included additional satellites [ ‘RISAT-2BR2’, ‘HYSIS’, ‘PRATHAM’ ] name and id into the list.
• [21Apr2023]
  1. Celestrak error code changed from ‘No TLE found’ to ‘No GP data found’. Code modified to accommodate both codes.
• [31May2023]
  1. Included satellite ‘IRNSS-1J’ name and id.
  2. celestrak URL changed to https link

To-do list

• This initial version is ISRO specific and could be modified to fit other agencies.