Show HN: Orbit – AR satellite tracker, watch 15k+ objects

Hacker News Top Products

Summary

Orbit is an iOS app that uses augmented reality to track over 15,000 satellites, planets, and debris in real-time by pointing your camera at the sky.

Hey HN! I made Orbit, an iOS app that allows you to see the satellites, planets, and constellations above you in AR, on a 2D map, and on a 3D globe. The app includes more than 15,000 objects tracked by CelesTrack, together with their pass predictions, descriptions, and detailed orbital data. A searchable catalog of all objects is also available, as well as a built-in chatbot designed to answer any space-related questions you might have.<p>This is my first published iOS app, so any feedback is greatly appreciated! App Store: <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;apps.apple.com&#x2F;app&#x2F;id6772174570">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;apps.apple.com&#x2F;app&#x2F;id6772174570</a>
Original Article
View Cached Full Text

Cached at: 07/11/26, 07:25 PM

# Orbit · Real-time satellite tracker Source: [https://nagylukas.github.io/orbit.html](https://nagylukas.github.io/orbit.html) Now available on the App Store Watch satellites pass overhead in real time\. Point your camera at the sky to find the ISS and thousands of other spacecraft, planets, constellations, and debris\. Orbit turns your iPhone and iPad into a real\-time satellite tracker\. Watch satellites, planets, constellations, and orbital debris appear through augmented reality, then tap to explore everything currently flying overhead\. Features ## Everything above you, on one screen At a glance**iPhone & iPad**Platform **iOS 17\+**Requires **Augmented reality**Sky view **15,000\+**Tracked objects Legal ## Privacy Policy Last updated: 9 June 2026 Orbit is designed to respect your privacy\. This policy explains what the app accesses on your device, why, and what happens to it\. In short: Orbit does not require an account or ask for your personal information\. The diagnostics and usage data we collect is anonymous and**not linked to your identity**, used solely to keep the app stable and improve it\. The one exception is the optional AI chatbot, which sends the messages you type to Google to generate a reply, as explained below\. ### Camera Orbit uses your device camera to power the augmented\-reality Sky View, overlaying satellite positions, planets, and constellations onto the live view of the sky\. The camera feed is processed on your device in real time and is never recorded, stored, or transmitted anywhere\. ### Location Orbit uses your approximate location and your device's motion and orientation sensors to calculate which satellites are overhead, where to point you in the sky, and when upcoming passes will be visible from where you are\. This data is used only on your device to perform those calculations\. It is not stored on our servers, shared, or used to identify you\. ### Data we collect Orbit collects a limited amount of diagnostics and usage data\. In line with Apple's App Store privacy definitions, all of it is labelled**"Data Not Linked to You"**— it is not associated with your identity, account, or device in a way that could identify you\. Specifically: - **Performance data**— metrics such as launch times, responsiveness, and energy use that help us find and fix slowdowns\. - **Crash data**— diagnostic logs generated if the app crashes, so we can reproduce and resolve the problem\. - **Product interaction**— anonymous, aggregated usage signals \(such as which features are opened\) that show us how the app is used so we can improve it\. This data is collected in aggregate and is never used to track you across other apps or websites\. ### Information we do not collect - We do not require you to create an account or provide a name, email, or any personal details to use the app\. - We do not collect or store your photos, camera frames, or precise location history\. - We do not sell or share your data with advertisers or data brokers\. ### Satellite and orbital data To show accurate positions, Orbit downloads publicly available satellite tracking data \(such as orbital elements\) from trusted public sources\. These requests retrieve reference data only and do not transmit personal information about you\. ### AI chatbot Orbit includes an optional in\-app chatbot that answers space\-related questions with short replies\. The chatbot is powered by Google's Gemini API\. When you send a message to the chatbot, the text you type is sent to Google to generate a response, and is subject to[Google's Privacy Policy](https://policies.google.com/privacy)\. The chatbot is heavily guardrailed to stay on the topic of space and astronomy\. Please avoid entering personal or sensitive information into it\. Messages are sent only when you choose to use the chatbot; if you never open it, no chat data leaves your device\. Orbit does not attach your name or account to these messages, because the app has no account, and it does not use your conversations to build a profile of you\. ### How this data is handled The performance, crash, and product\-interaction data described above is used only to diagnose problems and improve Orbit\. It is aggregated, cannot be used to identify you, and is never sold\. Orbit does not use third\-party advertising or cross\-app tracking SDKs\. ### Children's privacy Orbit does not knowingly collect personal information from children\. The app is suitable for general audiences, and the only data it collects is the anonymous, non\-identifying diagnostics described above\. ### Changes to this policy If this policy changes, the updated version will be posted on this page with a new "last updated" date\. ### Contact Questions about this policy or your privacy in Orbit? Email[nagy\.lukas50@gmail\.com](mailto:[email protected])\.

Similar Articles