# Globe & Atlas: Orbits — Maps, satellites, discovery

> Educational app for exploring Earth, satellites, and space missions with interactive maps. (iPhone/iPad app by Daniel Bally.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/globe-and-atlas-orbits/id6822426735 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Daniel Bally](https://appshunter.io/developer/6822426737)
- Category: Education, Reference
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Rating: 5.00/5 from 2 App Store ratings · 1 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 18.0 · 14 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2026-10-27
- Data updated: 2026-11-01
- Monetization: free with in-app purchases
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/globe-and-atlas-orbits/id6822426735/reviews.md

## What is Globe & Atlas?

Follow satellites around Earth. Discover their orbits, the missions behind them, and what your own GPS observations can reveal.

Globe & Atlas: Orbits is a hands-on educational companion for curious people. Explore how a globe becomes a map, follow the satellites above us, and make observations of your own—all at your own pace.

A globe becomes an atlas
Rotate Earth and unfold it into different map projections. Compare their shapes and discover what changes when a round world meets a flat page.

Get to know the satellites above you
Explore navigation satellites, a sampled Starlink constellation, and Earth-observing missions. Follow their calculated paths across the globe and map, then pull back to see their orbital heights in perspective. Investigate Landsat’s repeating coverage and explore published imagery footprints.

Explore the stories left in orbit
Visit Orbituary, a collection of spaceflight stories about retired spacecraft, rocket stages, and orbital debris. Browse themed collections, discover the missions behind the objects, and follow the sources to learn more.

Make your own observations
Record location samples on iPhone or Apple Watch, save a field observation, and explore the resulting trace. See how reported location uncertainty accompanies each sample, revisit the feel of early GPS instruments, or view a recorded trace in augmented reality.

Make the instrument your own
Choose from contemporary and heritage-inspired appearances. Optional Field Pass adds GPX and GeoJSON exports, printable observation plates, additional instrument themes, alternate app icons, and a Field Surveyor plaque. Core exploration, recording, replay, and the Watch companion are free.

Created by Globe & Atlas for geographic learning, close observation, and the pleasure of understanding a little more about our world.

A note on the data
Satellite positions are calculated predictions from sourced orbital elements, rather than measurements of signals received by your device. Historical exhibits do not imply a current orbital position. Camera alignment is approximate. A one-minute iPhone recording started in Orbits can continue while you switch apps or lock the phone; force-quitting ends it. Sources and further reading are available throughout the app.

## Key features

- Satellite orbit tracking
- Interactive globe and map projections
- Space mission exploration
- Location observation recording
- Augmented reality replay
- Customizable app appearance

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**One-time purchases**

| Purchase | Price | Type |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Field Pass | $2.99 | one-time |
| Large Tip | $4.99 | one-time |
| Small Tip | $1.99 | one-time |


## Is Globe & Atlas safe?

Not enough ratings yet to assess Globe & Atlas.

## Is Globe & Atlas legit?

Globe & Atlas: Orbits has limited verification signals. The AppsHunter Legitimacy Score for Globe & Atlas is 58 out of 100 points across 7 verification signals from App Store and developer data.

## Recent user reviews (1 of 1)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/globe-and-atlas-orbits/id6822426735/reviews.md

### 5/5 — A geography lesson that doesn't feel like one

*2026-10-28*

I came for the satellite tracking and stayed for the projections. Globe & Atlas: Orbits packs a surprising amount of real learning into something you'd happily poke at for twenty minutes before bed.

The projection section alone is worth the download. Rotating the globe and watching it unfold into different flat maps — then comparing what stretches, what shrinks, and what quietly lies to you — is the clearest hands-on explanation of projection distortion I've run into. It's the kind of thing that takes a chapter to explain in a textbook and about ninety seconds here.

The orbital side is just as good. You can follow navigation and Earth-observing satellites along their calculated paths, then pull back to see those paths in proper vertical perspective, which makes it intuitive rather than abstract.

Orbituary was an unexpected favorite: short, well-sourced stories about retired spacecraft, spent rocket stages, and debris. It gives the whole thing a sense of history rather than just a live feed of dots. I kept looking for a wall.e Easter egg floating around but didn’t see one. 

Recording your own location samples and seeing the reported uncertainty attached to each one is a quiet but genuinely useful feature. Watching accuracy wander as you move is a better lesson in GPS error than any diagram.

Credit to the developer!  This is a keeper.

## Frequently asked questions about Globe & Atlas

### What is Globe & Atlas: Orbits?

Globe & Atlas: Orbits is an educational app that allows users to explore Earth's geography, track satellites, and learn about space missions. It offers interactive maps, satellite path visualization, and the ability to make personal location observations.

### Does Globe & Atlas: Orbits have ads?

No, Globe & Atlas: Orbits is ad-free. The core exploration, recording, replay, and Apple Watch companion features are free and do not contain advertisements.

### What are the in-app purchases for Globe & Atlas: Orbits?

The optional Field Pass in-app purchase adds features like GPX and GeoJSON exports, printable observation plates, additional instrument themes, alternate app icons, and a Field Surveyor plaque. The core functionality remains free.

### What devices does Globe & Atlas: Orbits support?

Globe & Atlas: Orbits is available on Apple Watch, iPhone, and iPad, offering a versatile experience across different Apple devices.

### How does Globe & Atlas: Orbits track satellites?

Satellite positions are calculated predictions based on sourced orbital elements, not real-time signal measurements. This provides a visual representation of their paths and orbital heights.

### Can I make my own observations with Globe & Atlas: Orbits?

Yes, you can record location samples on your iPhone or Apple Watch, save field observations, and explore the resulting trace. This feature allows for personal exploration and understanding of GPS data.

### What is the age rating for Globe & Atlas: Orbits?

Globe & Atlas: Orbits has an age rating of 4+, making it suitable for a wide range of users interested in learning about geography and space.

### How often is Globe & Atlas: Orbits updated?

The app was last updated on October 30, 2026, with version 1.3. This indicates a recent update, suggesting ongoing development and support.

## Version history (last 3 releases)

### 1.3 — 2026-10-30

Starlink joins Orbits. Explore a sampled constellation in Globe, Atlas and Orbits, search spacecraft by name or NORAD ID, and inspect calculated altitude, inclination, orbital period and element age. Sky AR offers a clearly labeled subset.

Manage imagery places: add custom coordinates, delete places you no longer need, and remove recording coordinates from the chooser while keeping your saved recordings.

More Earth-observing missions: MODIS, VIIRS, EMIT, Sentinel-3 OLCI and Sentinel-5P TROPOMI. Explore calculated orbits and potential sensor coverage where supported, with clear labels separating predictions from published imagery.

Natural Color carries geographic detail from globe to atlas. View transitions, theme comparisons and the recorded GPS time sculpture are smoother. This update also adds an iPad workspace and an optional Classic GPS LCD appearance on Apple Watch.

### 1.1 — 2026-10-29

A minute becomes a record: completed 60-second observations with at least two samples save automatically on iPhone and Apple Watch. Start an iPhone minute, then switch apps or lock your phone while it records. In Saved, swipe to delete, sort by date, or choose Manual order and drag observations into place. Replays make elapsed time, sample gaps, and reported location uncertainty easier to inspect. Satellite views show orbital-data age more clearly, and Field Data Readiness explains what works offline.

### 1.0 — 2026-10-27

No release notes.

## Related topics

[space travel atlas](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/space-travel-atlas)

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-11-01.*