Space-Track
Space-Track Satellite Catalog API

Catalog metadata for all tracked Earth-orbiting objects
Documentation GitHub OpenAPI
OpenAPI Specification

openapi: 3.0.3
info:
  title: Space-Track Ancillary Satellite Catalog API
  description: US military space surveillance REST API operated by the 18th Space Control Squadron. Provides Two-Line Element (TLE) sets, conjunction data messages, orbital element sets, satellite catalog data, and decay predictions for all tracked Earth-orbiting objects and debris.
  version: 1.0.0
  contact:
    name: Space-Track Support
    url: https://www.space-track.org/contactus/
  termsOfService: https://www.space-track.org/documentation#user-agreement
  x-logo:
    url: https://www.space-track.org/favicon.ico
servers:
- url: https://www.space-track.org
  description: Space-Track production server
tags:
- name: Satellite Catalog
  description: Catalog metadata for all tracked Earth-orbiting objects
paths:
  /basicspacedata/query/class/satcat/{queryParams}:
    get:
      summary: Query Satellite Catalog (SATCAT)
      description: 'Returns catalog metadata for tracked Earth-orbiting objects including payloads, rocket bodies, and debris. Rate limit: 1 query per day after 17:00 UTC.'
      operationId: querySATCAT
      tags:
      - Satellite Catalog
      parameters:
      - $ref: '#/components/parameters/queryParams'
      responses:
        '200':
          description: Satellite catalog records
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                type: array
                items:
                  $ref: '#/components/schemas/SATCATRecord'
              example:
              - INTLDES: 1998-067A
                NORAD_CAT_ID: '25544'
                OBJECT_TYPE: PAYLOAD
                SATNAME: ISS (ZARYA)
                COUNTRY: ISS
                LAUNCH: '1998-11-20'
                SITE: TTMTR
                DECAY: null
                PERIOD: '92.68'
                INCLINATION: '51.64'
                APOGEE: '421'
                PERIGEE: '417'
                COMMENT: null
                COMMENTCODE: null
                RCSVALUE: '0'
                RCS_SIZE: LARGE
                FILE: '12345'
                LAUNCH_YEAR: '1998'
                LAUNCH_NUM: '67'
                LAUNCH_PIECE: A
                CURRENT: Y
                OBJECT_NAME: ISS (ZARYA)
                OBJECT_ID: 1998-067A
                OBJECT_NUMBER: '25544'
            text/csv:
              schema:
                type: string
            application/xml:
              schema:
                type: string
        '401':
          $ref: '#/components/responses/Unauthorized'
        '429':
          $ref: '#/components/responses/RateLimited'
      security:
      - sessionCookie: []
  /basicspacedata/query/class/satcat_change/{queryParams}:
    get:
      summary: Query SATCAT changes
      description: Returns records of changes to the satellite catalog. Useful for tracking updates to object names, status, and classifications.
      operationId: querySATCATChange
      tags:
      - Satellite Catalog
      parameters:
      - $ref: '#/components/parameters/queryParams'
      responses:
        '200':
          description: SATCAT change records
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                type: array
                items:
                  $ref: '#/components/schemas/SATCATChangeRecord'
            text/csv:
              schema:
                type: string
        '401':
          $ref: '#/components/responses/Unauthorized'
        '429':
          $ref: '#/components/responses/RateLimited'
      security:
      - sessionCookie: []
  /basicspacedata/query/class/satcat_debut/{queryParams}:
    get:
      summary: Query recently cataloged objects (SATCAT debut)
      description: 'Returns recently cataloged objects — new entrants to the satellite catalog. Rate limit: 1 query per day after 17:00 UTC.'
      operationId: querySATCATDebut
      tags:
      - Satellite Catalog
      parameters:
      - $ref: '#/components/parameters/queryParams'
      responses:
        '200':
          description: Newly cataloged objects
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                type: array
                items:
                  $ref: '#/components/schemas/SATCATRecord'
            text/csv:
              schema:
                type: string
        '401':
          $ref: '#/components/responses/Unauthorized'
        '429':
          $ref: '#/components/responses/RateLimited'
      security:
      - sessionCookie: []
  /expandedspacedata/query/class/satellite/{queryParams}:
    get:
      summary: Query expanded satellite data
      description: Returns expanded satellite data with additional fields beyond the basic SATCAT.
      operationId: querySatellite
      tags:
      - Satellite Catalog
      parameters:
      - $ref: '#/components/parameters/queryParams'
      responses:
        '200':
          description: Expanded satellite records
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                type: array
                items:
                  $ref: '#/components/schemas/SATCATRecord'
        '401':
          $ref: '#/components/responses/Unauthorized'
      security:
      - sessionCookie: []
components:
  responses:
    RateLimited:
      description: Rate limit exceeded. Maximum 30 requests per minute or 300 per hour globally. Per-class rate limits also apply.
    Unauthorized:
      description: Authentication required. Login at /ajaxauth/login first to obtain a session cookie.
  parameters:
    queryParams:
      name: queryParams
      in: path
      required: false
      description: 'Flexible REST query path segments. Format: /FIELD/VALUE/FIELD2/VALUE2/format/FORMAT/. Supports operators: range (--), greater-than (%3E), less-than (%3C), null (null-val), comma lists. Example: /NORAD_CAT_ID/25544/format/json/'
      schema:
        type: string
        default: ''
        example: NORAD_CAT_ID/25544/format/json/
  schemas:
    SATCATRecord:
      type: object
      description: Satellite catalog (SATCAT) record
      properties:
        INTLDES:
          type: string
          description: International designator
          example: 1998-067A
        NORAD_CAT_ID:
          type: string
          description: NORAD catalog number
          example: '25544'
        OBJECT_TYPE:
          type: string
          description: Object type classification
          enum:
          - PAYLOAD
          - ROCKET BODY
          - DEBRIS
          - UNKNOWN
          - TBA
          example: PAYLOAD
        SATNAME:
          type: string
          description: Satellite/object name
          example: ISS (ZARYA)
        COUNTRY:
          type: string
          description: Country of origin or registration code
          example: ISS
        LAUNCH:
          type: string
          format: date
          description: Launch date
          example: '1998-11-20'
        SITE:
          type: string
          description: Launch site code
          example: TTMTR
        DECAY:
          type: string
          format: date
          nullable: true
          description: Decay/reentry date (null if still in orbit)
        PERIOD:
          type: string
          description: Orbital period in minutes
          example: '92.68'
        INCLINATION:
          type: string
          description: Orbital inclination in degrees
          example: '51.64'
        APOGEE:
          type: string
          description: Apogee altitude in km
          example: '421'
        PERIGEE:
          type: string
          description: Perigee altitude in km
          example: '417'
        RCS_SIZE:
          type: string
          description: Radar cross-section size category
          enum:
          - SMALL
          - MEDIUM
          - LARGE
          example: LARGE
        RCSVALUE:
          type: string
          description: Radar cross-section value (m^2)
        LAUNCH_YEAR:
          type: string
          description: 4-digit launch year
          example: '1998'
        LAUNCH_NUM:
          type: string
          description: Launch number within year
          example: '67'
        LAUNCH_PIECE:
          type: string
          description: Piece identifier within launch
          example: A
        CURRENT:
          type: string
          description: Is object currently being tracked (Y/N)
          enum:
          - Y
          - N
          example: Y
        OBJECT_NAME:
          type: string
          description: Object name
          example: ISS (ZARYA)
        OBJECT_ID:
          type: string
          description: International designator
          example: 1998-067A
        OBJECT_NUMBER:
          type: string
          description: NORAD catalog number as integer string
          example: '25544'
        FILE:
          type: string
          description: Internal file reference
        COMMENT:
          type: string
          nullable: true
          description: Optional comment
        COMMENTCODE:
          type: string
          nullable: true
          description: Optional comment code
    SATCATChangeRecord:
      type: object
      description: Record of a change to the satellite catalog
      properties:
        NORAD_CAT_ID:
          type: string
          description: NORAD catalog number
        OBJECT_NAME:
          type: string
          description: Current object name
        INTLDES:
          type: string
          description: International designator
        CHANGE_DATE:
          type: string
          format: date-time
          description: Date the change was recorded
        FIELD_CHANGED:
          type: string
          description: Name of the field that was changed
        OLD_VALUE:
          type: string
          description: Previous field value
        NEW_VALUE:
          type: string
          description: Updated field value
  securitySchemes:
    sessionCookie:
      type: apiKey
      in: cookie
      name: chocolatechip
      description: Session cookie obtained by POSTing credentials to /ajaxauth/login
x-query-guide:
  syntax: 'REST queries use path segments: /class/{class}/FIELD/VALUE/format/FORMAT/'
  operators:
    exact: /FIELD/VALUE/
    range: /FIELD/START--END/
    greaterThan: /FIELD/%3EVALUE/
    lessThan: /FIELD/%3CVALUE/
    commaList: /FIELD/V1,V2,V3/
    nullValue: /FIELD/null-val/
    notNull: /FIELD/null-val/exclude/
  formats:
  - json
  - csv
  - xml
  - html
  - tle
  - 3le
  - kvn
  commonFilters:
    currentEpoch: EPOCH/%3Enow-30
    specificObject: NORAD_CAT_ID/25544
    multipleObjects: NORAD_CAT_ID/25544,43873,44506
    catalogRange: NORAD_CAT_ID/25000--26000
    recentMessages: MSG_EPOCH/%3Enow-1
Space-Track Satellite Catalog API

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OpenAPI Specification
