Joshua Fields — Software Engineer & Creative Technologist

Satellite Telemetry Visualiser

Independent | Self-Initiated Project

Self-Initiated - Full-Stack Developer

Satellite Telemetry Visualiser Case Study

The Satellite Telemetry Visualiser is a real-time orbit tracking application that makes satellite movement easier to understand through an interactive browser map, live position updates, orbit trails, and forward path predictions.

Problem

Satellite TLE data is powerful but not immediately readable for most users. The challenge was to turn orbital mechanics data into a lightweight, visual experience that works in the browser and updates quickly enough to feel live.

Role

As the Full-Stack Developer, I implemented the Python backend, satellite calculation workflow, map UI, live update loop, prediction toggles, and deployment pipeline for public access.

Architecture

Data Source: Satellite TLE data is pulled from Celestrak.
Computation: Skyfield calculates current positions, recent trails, future orbit points, and approximate visibility areas.
API Layer: Flask exposes satellite telemetry to the frontend in a simple, browser-friendly format.
Visualization: Leaflet.js renders live markers, animated paths, prediction lines, and the ground visibility zone.

Stack

Python, Flask, Skyfield, Celestrak TLE data, Leaflet.js, JavaScript, and Render deployment.

Media

The page includes a custom floating Earth iframe at /templates/earth.html, plus links to the live tracker and GitHub repository for deeper review.

Outcome / Impact

This project demonstrates real-time data integration, scientific computation, API design, and frontend geospatial visualization in a compact application that makes orbital data accessible to non-specialist users.