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.