Satellite Tracking MCP Server

Satellite Tracking MCP Server

A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that provides access to satellite tracking data using the N2YO API.

Features

This MCP server provides the following capabilities:

Tools

• get_satellite_position: Get real-time position of a satellite by NORAD ID
• get_satellite_tle: Get TLE (Two-Line Element) data for a satellite by NORAD ID
• predict_visual_passes: Predict visible passes of a satellite over a location
• predict_radio_passes: Predict radio frequency passes of a satellite over a location
• get_satellites_above: Get satellites currently above a specified location
• search_satellites: Search for satellites by name or category

Resources

• satellite://{norad_id}: Information about a satellite by NORAD ID
• satellites://category/{category_id}: List of satellites in a specific category
• satellites://above/{lat}/{lon}/{radius}: List of satellites above a specified location

Installation

Prerequisites

• Node.js 18 or higher
• A N2YO API key (available from N2YO API Services)

Setup

1. Clone this repository or download the source code
2. Install dependencies:

cd satellite-tracking-server
npm install

3. Build the server:

npm run build

Configuration

The server requires a N2YO API key to function. You can provide this through the environment variable N2YO_API_KEY.

MCP Settings Configuration

To use this server with Claude, add it to your MCP settings configuration file:

For Claude Desktop App (macOS)

Edit ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "satellite-tracking": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["/path/to/satellite-tracking-server/build/index.js"],
      "env": {
        "N2YO_API_KEY": "your-api-key-here"
      },
      "disabled": false,
      "autoApprove": []
    }
  }
}

For Claude VSCode Extension

Edit ~/Library/Application Support/Code/User/globalStorage/saoudrizwan.claude-dev/settings/cline_mcp_settings.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "satellite-tracking": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["/path/to/satellite-tracking-server/build/index.js"],
      "env": {
        "N2YO_API_KEY": "your-api-key-here"
      },
      "disabled": false,
      "autoApprove": []
    }
  }
}

Usage Examples

Once the server is configured and running, you can use it with Claude to access satellite tracking data:

Get Satellite Position

<use_mcp_tool>
<server_name>satellite-tracking</server_name>
<tool_name>get_satellite_position</tool_name>
<arguments>
{
  "norad_id": 25544,
  "observer_lat": 40.7128,
  "observer_lng": -74.0060
}
</arguments>
</use_mcp_tool>

Get Satellite TLE Data

<use_mcp_tool>
<server_name>satellite-tracking</server_name>
<tool_name>get_satellite_tle</tool_name>
<arguments>
{
  "norad_id": 25544
}
</arguments>
</use_mcp_tool>

Predict Visual Passes

<use_mcp_tool>
<server_name>satellite-tracking</server_name>
<tool_name>predict_visual_passes</tool_name>
<arguments>
{
  "norad_id": 25544,
  "observer_lat": 40.7128,
  "observer_lng": -74.0060,
  "days": 7
}
</arguments>
</use_mcp_tool>

Search for Satellites

<use_mcp_tool>
<server_name>satellite-tracking</server_name>
<tool_name>search_satellites</tool_name>
<arguments>
{
  "query": "ISS"
}
</arguments>
</use_mcp_tool>

Get Satellites Above Location

<use_mcp_tool>
<server_name>satellite-tracking</server_name>
<tool_name>get_satellites_above</tool_name>
<arguments>
{
  "observer_lat": 40.7128,
  "observer_lng": -74.0060,
  "search_radius": 45
}
</arguments>
</use_mcp_tool>

Access Satellite Resource

<access_mcp_resource>
<server_name>satellite-tracking</server_name>
<uri>satellite://25544</uri>
</access_mcp_resource>

Satellite Categories

The server supports the following satellite categories:

Category ID	Description
0	All
1	Amateur
2	CubeSat
3	Education
4	Engineering
5	Galileo
6	GLO-OPS
7	GPS-OPS
8	Military
9	Radar
10	Resource
11	SARSAT
12	Science
13	TDRSS
14	Weather
15	XM/Sirius
16	Iridium-NEXT
17	Globalstar
18	Intelsat
19	SES
20	Telesat
21	Orbcomm
22	Gorizont
23	Raduga
24	Molniya
25	DMC
26	Argos
27	Planet
28	Spire
29	Starlink
30	OneWeb

API Key Limitations

The N2YO API has usage limits based on your subscription plan. The free tier allows:

• 1,000 requests per hour
• Basic functionality across all endpoints

Be aware of these limits when using the server to avoid exceeding your quota.

Troubleshooting

• API Key Errors: Ensure your N2YO API key is valid and correctly set in the environment variables.
• Rate Limiting: If you encounter rate limiting errors, the server will automatically retry with exponential backoff, but you may need to wait before making additional requests.
• No Data Found: Some satellites may not have real-time tracking data available, especially older or inactive satellites.

License

This project is licensed under the ISC License.