Windows users have several applications available for plotting satellite ground tracks with multiple ground stations. One of these is used on one of the big screens in the control room when we launch ESA satellites. I was stationed in that control room when we launched CryoSat-2 in 2010 and was frustrated at the lack of an equivalent Mac software for my laptop.

So I decided to write my own in my spare time over the next half year or so. My colleagues, who are also using it, urged me to put it on the Mac App Store. After finding more free time, polishing it up and writing an extensive user manual, the job is finally done.

I wanted to see the satellite in the sky so I included all the things necessary for that, such as showing when it's dark at the Earth's surface and when the satellite is illuminated by the Sun. I even included an approximation of the cloud cover!

If you're interested check, out SatTrackerBasic on the Mac App Store (not iPhone or iPad, but Mac). Here's the link to the sto

itunes.com/mac/SatTrackerBasic

I've attached a screenshot of the main window. This is extensively customisable.

Sorry for the commercial post, but hopefully somebody finds it useful.

cheers,
Richard

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