API Examples

Here are a few examples of how to use the API:

Get all visible passes of STARLINK-1600 at a given location for the specified time range: https://satchecker.cps.iau.org/ephemeris/name-jdstep/?name=STARLINK-1600&latitude=40.1106&longitude=-88.2073&elevation=222&startjd=2460000.1&stopjd=2460010.1&stepjd=0.5

Get any passes (visible or not) of STARLINK-1600 at a given location for the specified time range: https://satchecker.cps.iau.org/ephemeris/name-jdstep/?name=STARLINK-1600&latitude=40.1106&longitude=-88.2073&elevation=222&startjd=2460000.1&stopjd=2460000.3&stepjd=0.1&min_altitude=-90

Attempt to get visible passes STARLINK-1600 at a given location for the specified time range, with no results: https://satchecker.cps.iau.org/ephemeris/name-jdstep/?name=STARLINK-1600&latitude=40.1106&longitude=-88.2073&elevation=222&startjd=2460000.1&stopjd=2460000.3&stepjd=0.1

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Get all TLEs for active objects at the current epoch:

from datetime import datetime, timezone
import pandas as pd
import requests

def get_tles_at_epoch(base_url, epoch_date=None, page=1, per_page=100):
    url = f"{base_url}/tools/tles-at-epoch/"
    params = {
        "epoch": epoch_date,
        "page": page,
        "per_page": per_page
    }
    response = requests.get(url, params=params, timeout=10)
    if response.status_code == 200:
        return response.json()
    else:
        response.raise_for_status()

def fetch_all_tles(base_url, epoch_date=None, data_source="spacetrack"):
    all_tles = []
    page = 1
    per_page = 100

    while True:
        results = get_tles_at_epoch(base_url, epoch_date, page, per_page)
        tles = results[0]["data"]
        all_tles.extend(tles)
        if len(tles) < per_page:
            break
        page += 1

    return all_tles

if __name__ == "__main__":
    base_url = "https://satchecker.cps.iau.org"

    # This will give the current TLE set, use a specific epoch (in Julian date format) if needed
    # epoch_date = 2460606
    all_tles = fetch_all_tles(base_url""", epoch_date=epoch_date """)

    # Create a DataFrame from the TLE data
    df = pd.DataFrame(all_tles)
    print(df.columns)
    print(df.head())
    print(df.shape[0])