N2YO Satellite Tracker

Tool Description : Real-time satellite tracking platform providing orbital data, pass predictions and positional information for thousands of Earth-orbiting satellites.

N2YO Satellite Tracker

Quick Overview

URL

https://www.n2yo.com/

What it does

Tracks satellites in real time and provides orbital data, pass predictions and ground tracks.

How to use it

Search for a satellite by name or NORAD ID and view its current position, orbit and future passes.

Cost

Free with optional premium subscription.

Account required

No.

Uses essential, consent, advertising and payment security cookies (PHP Session, Google Funding Choices, DoubleClick and PayPal).

Ownership

Owned and operated by Ciprian Sufitch, an amateur radio operator.

Use in Reporting

Supports satellite verification, geospatial analysis, and space-related investigations.

What does N2YO Satellite Tracker do?

N2YO is a web-based satellite tracking platform that visualises the real-time location of satellites orbiting Earth. Using publicly available Two-Line Element (TLE) data, primarily sourced from organisations such as CelesTrak and the US Space Force, it predicts satellite positions, future overpasses and orbital paths.

Users can search thousands of satellites by name, NORAD catalogue number or category, including communications, weather, navigation, Earth observation and the International Space Station (ISS).

The lowdown: It’s a valuable geospatial tool for identifying when satellites were or will be overhead at a particular location.

How to Use:

1. Search for a satellite by name, NORAD ID or browse by category.

2. View its current position, orbital path, ground track and predicted passes over a location. E.g. we chose CHINASAT 5:

3. Compare satellite timing with imagery, events or other OSINT sources to support analysis.

Cost

Free
Partially Free
Paid

Free with optional premium subscription.

Data Processing

Account Required:

Cookies:

The site uses essential, consent, advertising and payment security cookies (PHP Session, Google Funding Choices, DoubleClick and PayPal).

Note: Be mindful of third-party adverts/pop-ups which are rife on the website.

Use in Reporting

N2YO Satellite Tracker is useful for:

Satellite imagery verification.
Conflict and military activity investigations.
Environmental and disaster monitoring.
Maritime and aviation investigations.
Geolocation and chronolocation analysis.
Space and aerospace reporting.

The platform is often used and referenced in technical research, satellite tracking projects, and open-source space analysis as a satellite position and pass prediction tool.

Note: It is primarily used as a supporting source in geospatial investigations, space monitoring, and satellite imagery verification rather than as standalone evidence.

Capabilities

Limitations

Tracks thousands of active satellites in real-time.

Doesn’t provide satellite imagery.

Displays orbital paths and ground tracks.

Accuracy depends on the quality and age of available TLE data.

Predicts future satellite passes over selected locations.

Some classified or military satellites may have limited/unavailable information.

Searches satellites by name, category, or NORAD ID.

Orbital predictions become less accurate over longer time periods without updated elements.

Visualises satellite positions on interactive maps.

Primarily designed for tracking rather than intelligence analysis.

Supports historical and current orbital analysis using publicly available TLE data.

Summary

N2YO Satellite Tracker is best used during the collection, verification and analysis stages of the OSINT workflow, enabling investigators to determine which satellites were overhead at a particular time and location, helping to assess whether imagery or sensor data may exist to support an investigation. It complements satellite imagery platforms rather than replacing them.

Ownership

Owned and operated by Ciprian Sufitchi, an amateur radio operator.

Ethical Considerations

Do not infer intent or activity based solely on a satellite overpass.
Verify orbital information using multiple trusted sources where accuracy is critical.
Recognise that satellite visibility does not guarantee imagery collection.
Consider licensing and copyright restrictions when using associated imagery from third-party providers.
Avoid disclosing sensitive geospatial information where it could pose security or privacy risks.