Loading External Satellite Catalogs

KeepTrack.Space allows you to load external satellite catalogs using Two-Line Element (TLE) files. This feature enables you to customize your view and focus on specific sets of satellites. Let’s explore how to use this powerful functionality.

Loading an External TLE File

You can load an external TLE file by adding a tle parameter to the KeepTrack.Space URL.

1. Start with the base KeepTrack.Space URL: https://keeptrack.space/
2. Add a question mark ? followed by tle= and the URL of your TLE file
3. If the TLE URL contains special characters, wrap it in quotes ""

Example: Loading Brightest Satellites

To load a catalog of the brightest satellites:

https://keeptrack.space/app/?tle=https://api.keeptrack.space/v1/static/brightest/txt

Example: Loading with Special Characters

For URLs with special characters, use quotes:

https://keeptrack.space/app/?tle="https://celestrak.org/NORAD/elements/gp.php?GROUP=fengyun-1c-debris&FORMAT=2le"

Note

Always ensure you’re using a trusted and up-to-date source for your TLE files to get accurate satellite positions.

Exclusive External Catalog View

By default, KeepTrack.Space will merge your external catalog with its internal database. However, you can choose to view only the satellites from your external catalog.

1. Add the external-only parameter to your URL
2. Separate parameters with an ampersand &
3. Add your tle parameter as usual

Example: Viewing Only Fengyun-1C Debris

To view only the Fengyun-1C debris catalog:

https://keeptrack.space/app/?external-only&tle="https://celestrak.org/NORAD/elements/gp.php?GROUP=fengyun-1c-debris&FORMAT=2le"

Understanding Catalog Merging

When you load an external catalog without the external-only parameter, KeepTrack.Space intelligently merges the data:

• For satellites already in the internal database, the TLE data is updated with your external data.
• All other internal data (e.g., country of origin, purpose) is preserved for context.
• Satellites not in the internal database are added as new “Special” satellites.

This merging provides a rich, contextualized view of your custom satellite set.

Tip

Experiment with different TLE sources to focus on specific groups of satellites, such as weather satellites, communication constellations, or space debris.

Practice Exercise

Try loading these different catalogs and observe how the visualization changes:

1. Load the “Active Satellites” catalog:

   https://keeptrack.space/app/?tle="https://celestrak.org/NORAD/elements/gp.php?GROUP=active&FORMAT=2le"

2. View only the Starlink constellation:

   https://keeptrack.space/app/?external-only&tle="https://celestrak.org/NORAD/elements/gp.php?GROUP=starlink&FORMAT=2le"

3. Load the “100 (or so) Brightest” catalog and compare it with the default view:

   https://keeptrack.space/app/?tle="https://celestrak.org/NORAD/elements/gp.php?GROUP=visual&FORMAT=2le"

By mastering the use of external catalogs, you can customize KeepTrack.Space to focus on the specific satellites or debris that interest you most, enhancing your space situational awareness and exploration capabilities.