ISS Locator

A real-time tracking application for the International Space Station (ISS). Track the ISS position, velocity, and altitude on an interactive map.

Quick Start

This application consists of two parts: a backend API server and a frontend React app. Both need to be running simultaneously.

1. Start the Backend Server

Open a terminal and run:

cd server
npm install
npm start or nodemon start

You should see:

ISS Locator API listening on port 5000
Environment: development
API available at: http://localhost:5000/api

2. Start the Frontend App

Open a second terminal (keep the backend running) and run:

cd client
npm install
npm run dev

You should see:

VITE ready in XXX ms
➜  Local:   http://localhost:5173/

3. Open Your Browser

Navigate to http://localhost:5173 to use the ISS Locator.

Features

• Real-time ISS position tracking
• Interactive world map with ISS marker (Leaflet)
• Live orbital data: speed, altitude, direction
• Responsive design (mobile + desktop)

Tech Stack

Backend

• Node.js & Express
• Axios (HTTP client)
• Modular architecture (routes, controllers, services, utils)
• Open Notify API for ISS data

Frontend

• React 19
• Ant Design (UI components)
• Leaflet & React Leaflet (maps)
• React Router (navigation)
• Axios (API communication)
• Vite (build tool)

Project Structure

satellite-locator/
├── server/               # Backend API (Node.js + Express)
│   ├── config/          # Constants and configuration
│   ├── controllers/     # Request handlers
│   ├── services/        # Business logic & external APIs
│   ├── routes/          # API route definitions
│   ├── middleware/      # Error handling & logging
│   ├── utils/           # Helper functions (calculations)
│   └── index.js         # Entry point
│
└── client/               # Frontend (React + Vite)
    ├── src/
    │   ├── components/  # Reusable UI components
    │   ├── pages/       # Page components
    │   ├── services/    # API communication
    │   ├── hooks/       # Custom React hooks
    │   └── App.jsx      # Main app component
    └── public/          # Static assets

API Endpoints

Base URL: http://localhost:5000/api

• GET /api/iss/position - Current ISS position (lat/lon)
• GET /api/iss/tracking - Full tracking data (position + velocity + trajectory)
• GET /api/iss/health - API health check
• GET /api/crew - Current ISS crew members

Documentation

• Backend API Documentation
• Frontend Documentation