Track the International Space Station live
See exactly where the ISS is right now as it orbits Earth at 28,000 km/h — its real-time position, altitude, speed and orbit track on a clean world map.
Live telemetry
LiveWhen will the ISS pass over you?
Visible passes only — after dusk or before dawn, shown in the selected location's local time.
Enter a location to see upcoming passes.
- ~400 km
- Orbit altitude
- 28,000 km/h
- Orbital speed
- ~90 min
- One orbit
- 16
- Sunrises per day
Where is the ISS right now?
The International Space Station never stops moving. Circling the planet roughly every 90 minutes, it crosses entire oceans and continents in the time it takes to watch a movie. The map above pulls the station's live coordinates and projects its orbit ground track — the dotted line showing where it has just been and where it's heading next.
Each reading shows the station's latitude and longitude, its altitude (around 400 km above the surface), its blistering orbital speed, and whether it's currently flying through daylight or Earth's shadow.
What you're looking at
- 🛰️The marker is the station's exact sub-point — the spot on Earth directly beneath it.
- 〰️The dotted line is one full orbit of ground track, computed from live orbital data.
- 🌍The badge tells you which country or ocean the ISS is passing over at this moment.
- ☀️Sunlight status shows if the crew is in daylight — key for spotting it from the ground.
How to spot the ISS from your backyard
You don't need a telescope. The ISS is one of the brightest objects in the night sky — a steady white point of light gliding silently overhead in just a few minutes. The trick is knowing when to look up.
- 1
Pick the right time
Look in the hour after sunset or before sunrise, when the sky is dark but the station is still catching sunlight.
- 2
Find a clear horizon
Get away from bright lights with a wide view of the sky. Passes rise from one horizon and set at the opposite one.
- 3
Watch it move
The ISS looks like a fast, steady star — no blinking lights. A bright pass can last two to five minutes.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the International Space Station right now?+
The live map at the top of this page shows the ISS's exact position over Earth, updated every few seconds. It also displays the station's current altitude (around 400 km), speed (about 28,000 km/h), and the country or ocean it is currently passing over.
How fast does the ISS travel?+
The ISS orbits Earth at roughly 28,000 km/h (about 17,500 mph), completing one full orbit every 90 to 93 minutes. That means astronauts on board see roughly 16 sunrises and sunsets every day.
How high does the ISS orbit?+
The station orbits in low Earth orbit at an average altitude of about 400 kilometers (250 miles). Its exact height changes slightly over time and is periodically boosted to counteract atmospheric drag.
Can you see the ISS from Earth with the naked eye?+
Yes. The ISS is one of the brightest objects in the night sky and is easily visible without a telescope. It looks like a fast-moving, steady white dot — brighter than most stars. The best time to see it is shortly after sunset or before sunrise, when the sky is dark but the station is still lit by the Sun.
Is this ISS tracker accurate?+
The live position comes from the WhereTheISS.at API, which is based on the latest published orbital data (TLEs) for the station. The orbit track line is computed from those same elements using satellite.js, so it closely matches the station's real ground path.