# Orbitrack

> Augmented and virtual reality satellite tracker and spaceflight simulator. (iPhone/iPad app by Southern Stars Group, LLC.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/orbitrack/id1092984911 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Southern Stars Group, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/437108146)
- Category: Reference, Education
- Price: $4.99
- Rating: 4.70/5 from 960 App Store ratings · 77 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 16.6 · 134 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2018-03-21
- Data updated: 2026-08-27
- Monetization: paid
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/orbitrack/id1092984911/reviews.md

## What is Orbitrack?

Orbitrack is a brand-new, Augmented-and-Virtual-Reality satellite tracker and spaceflight simulator!  It's your pocket guide to the thousands of spacecraft in orbit around our home planet.

1) More than 5000 spacecraft, including all active satellites, classified military satellites, the International Space Station, and SpaceX's Starlink communication satellites.

2) Rich new graphics, rewritten using Apple's Metal graphics API, show atmospheric effects, city lights on Earth’s night side, and highly-detailed 3D satellite models.

3) Voice-controlled Virtual Reality mode that works with any smartphone VR viewer.  iPhone only.

4) A true "augmented reality" mode that helps you find satellites in the sky by blending the sky chart with video from your phone's camera.  Works with Orbit and Satellite views too!

5) Radio frequency data for amateur radio satellites.

6) Updated descriptions for hundreds of spacecraft.  Every satellite now has a description from n2yo.com.

7) Supports the latest Apple hardware and software: iPhone 13, iPad Pro, and iOS 15.  Check the Mac App Store for our MacOS version!

8) Requires at least iPhone 6 or iPad Air with 64-bit processor and iOS 12 or later.

9) New sound effects and ambient background music.

10) New Time Flow controls let you easily set the date and time, and animate the view.

If you're new to Orbitrack, here's what it can do:

• Track thousands of satellites. Orbitrack will tell you when spacecraft pass overhead, show you where to find them in the sky, and let you track them across the planet.

• Teach you about the International Space Station, Starlink, and hundreds of other satellites in orbit, with comprehensive mission descriptions.

• Show the view from any satellite, and see the Earth from orbit just as the “bird” sees it!  Orbitrack includes detailed 3D models for dozens of satellites – see them up close from any angle!

• Stay on top of the space race. Orbitrack updates its satellite data from n2yo.com and celestrak.com every hour.  When new spacecraft are launched, maneuver into new orbits, or fall back into the atmosphere, Orbitrack shows you what’s happening up there, right now.

Orbitrack isn’t just powerful – it’s incredibly easy to use!  You don’t need an aerospace degree to become an expert satellite tracker.  Orbitrack puts advanced capabilities at your fingertips, with the same intuitive touch interface you use every day.

The new VR mode is an out-of-this-world experience.  Become an astronaut without ever leaving Planet Earth!

And if that’s not enough, Orbitrack includes detailed, built-in Help – and expert, responsive technical support.

## Key features

- Augmented and Virtual Reality modes
- Track over 5000 spacecraft
- Detailed 3D satellite models
- Voice-controlled VR
- Radio frequency data for amateur satellites
- Real-time satellite data updates
- Time Flow controls

## What do users think of Orbitrack?

Overall sentiment: positive

**Pros**

- 🚀 Great features
- 👍 User-friendly
- 💡 Innovative tracking
- 🔍 Detailed satellite information
- 🌍 Realistic Earth and sky views
- ⭐ Excellent visuals
- 🤩 Immersive experience

**Cons**

- 🤑 Paid app
- 🐛 Occasional crashes
- 🔊 Annoying music
- 🗺️ Outdated satellite data
- 🔍 Inaccurate magnitude estimates
- 🤔 Confusing interface

**Commonly reported bugs**

- Motion tracking issues
- Stuck on old date
- Accelerometer not working
- Satellite positions not accurate

**Most requested features**

- Sort by magnitude feature
- Favorite satellites option
- Customizable field of view
- Notifications for visible passes
- Metric/imperial toggle

## Recent user reviews (10 of 77)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/orbitrack/id1092984911/reviews.md

### 4/5 — Only cause I had to pay.

*2025-11-02, version 2.6.1*

This app is darn good. It’s just because I had to pay it, that’s the only reason why I gave it four stars. But wow we got to use an app to see the stars in the city.😭🥲😅🤣🧐🤨🧐

### 5/5 — Review update

*2025-09-27*

Following my poor review, I have managed to get past  the "quick start" screen and the app looks great.   In truth I've not yet used it much do my 5 star rating is based on the general look and feel of the app.

### 1/5 — App does not work

*2025-08-02*

I’ve tried everything and unable to get the “motion” to work. Waste of money.

### 2/5 — Earth image not high definition.

*2025-07-13, version 2.6.1*

Zoomed in on the Earth to my home state and the image is fuzzy. Not sharp at all. I wanted to see what was flying directly overhead my location, but the image quality is poor at best. I was expecting better than this.

### 5/5 — Still the best!

*2025-03-16*

I’ve used this for years and it still has the best features and interface of anything else out there - despite its age.  There was a brief period recently where it disappeared from the App Store and I feared it had become abandoned!  Thankfully it was a temporary hiccup and the developer is still active.

### 5/5 — Superb

*2025-03-03*

Well executed star gazing / satélite tracking app. I can’t believe it’s free.

### 5/5 — Amazing - Even More Interesting Than I Expected

*2025-03-01*

I had no idea there were so many satellites out there. I thought I would download this and check it out occasionally. I suspect I'll be looking at it often.

I found myself with so many questions about the satellites launched by my country and others. About the International Space Station (you can see what they see, including how the planets are aligned. You can even see where and what time to see planets and satellites from your back yard. When it's time, you can point the app in the sky and see an overlay of the app's view on your camera's view to find and identify what you're looking for. Once you find it, set down the phone and appreciate what you see. 

Thank you for this wonderful app!

### 5/5 — Great For Tracking Satellites

*2024-11-20*

This is an integral part of my satellite tracking activities, it allows me to plan to and get photos of satellites as they go by overhead. I did turn off the music though! I use Orbitrack to point my camera and with it I can get photos of lots of satelllites as they go by. It is easy to use, it includes a lot of satellites that other programs do not - like the ones who's orbits are NOT shown in Space Track.

### 5/5 — Orbitrack

*2024-10-17*

I love this app! It works perfectly with my SkySafari 7 Plus! 5 stars!

### 3/5 — Solid app Needs a sort by magnitude feature

*2024-08-17*

No updates for several years so not sure if this app is still being actively developed. If it is, it needs a sort by magnitude feature to be really useful.

## Frequently asked questions about Orbitrack

### What does Orbitrack do?

Orbitrack is an augmented and virtual reality application that allows users to track thousands of satellites orbiting Earth. It provides detailed 3D models, real-time data, and educational information about various spacecraft, including the International Space Station and Starlink satellites.

### What are the key features of Orbitrack?

Key features include augmented and virtual reality modes, tracking over 5000 spacecraft, highly detailed 3D satellite models, voice-controlled VR, radio frequency data for amateur satellites, real-time data updates, and Time Flow controls to manipulate time.

### How much does Orbitrack cost?

Orbitrack is a paid application. The provided data indicates it is a one-time purchase and does not have in-app purchases or ads.

### What devices is Orbitrack compatible with?

Orbitrack requires at least an iPhone 6 or iPad Air with a 64-bit processor and iOS 12 or later. It is optimized for the latest Apple hardware and software, including iPhone 13 and iPad Pro running iOS 15. A macOS version is also available.

### How can Orbitrack help me learn about space?

Orbitrack provides comprehensive mission descriptions for hundreds of satellites, updated from reliable sources like n2yo.com and celestrak.com. Users can view the Earth from orbit as a satellite sees it, explore detailed 3D models up close, and stay informed about current space events.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 2.6.1 — 2025-02-06

- Support for iOS 18. Now requires iOS 16+
- Ability to show country borders on Orbit, Ground, Satellite views.
- Ability to select time increments of 10 seconds and 10 minutes for animation.
- Ability to show or stop Earth rotation in Orbit and Ground views.
- Ability to show satellite visibility circle in Orbit and Satellite views.
- Virtual Reality mode in landscape is no longer enabled by default in new installations.
- Fix inability to load startup announcements due to insecure http URL
- Removed double-top-to-center-satellite functionality.
- Removed Flurry Analytics.

### 2.6 — 2022-03-09

- Ability to show country borders on Orbit, Ground, Satellite views.
- Ability to select time increments of 10 seconds and 10 minutes for animation.
- Ability to show or stop Earth rotation in Orbit and Ground views.
- Ability to show satellite visibility circle in Orbit and Satellite views.
- Virtual Reality mode in landscape is no longer enabled by default in new installations.
- Fix inability to load startup announcements due to insecure http URL
- Removed double-top-to-center-satellite functionality.
- Removed Flurry Analytics.

### 2.5.2 — 2020-11-26

1) Support for MacOS 10.15 (Catalina) and MacOS 11 (Big Sur).
2) Support for iOS 14 and iPhone 12.
3) On iPad, the Search, Settings, Info, and Help views now appear in popup windows to avoid blocking the screen.
4) Uses Apple's new Metal 3D graphics API instead of OpenGL - a big graphics performance improvement!
5) Securely downloads satellite data using HTTPS connections.
6) Fixes problems with Settings popup view on iPads and Macs.
7) Now allows 360-degree-wide maps in Ground Track view.
8) On iPad, selecting a new satellite in Search or satellite lists now takes effect instantly.
9) On iPad, changing any settings switch now takes effect instantly.
10) Improved contrast between Earth's day and night sides.
11) Fixed some typos in Help and satellite info.

### 2.5.1 — 2020-11-17

1) Support for MacOS 10.15 (Catalina) and MacOS 11 (Big Sur).
2) Support for iOS 14 and iPhone 12.
3) On iPad, the Search, Settings, Info, and Help views now appear in popup windows to avoid blocking the screen.
4) Uses Apple's new Metal 3D graphics API instead of OpenGL - a big graphics performance improvement!
5) Securely downloads satellite data using HTTPS connections.
6) Fixes problems with Settings popup view on iPads and Macs.

### 2.5 — 2020-11-16

1) Support for MacOS 10.15 (Catalina) and MacOS 11 (Big Sur).
2) Support for iOS 14 and iPhone 12.
3) On iPad, the Search, Settings, Info, and Help views now appear in popup windows to avoid blocking the screen.
4) Uses Apple's new Metal 3D graphics API instead of OpenGL - a big graphics performance improvement!
5) Securely downloads satellite data using HTTPS connections.

## Apps similar to Orbitrack

| App | Rating | Price | Category |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Sky Guide](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sky-guide/id576588894) | 4.8 (369,247) | Free | Reference |
| [Satellite Tracker by Star Walk](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/satellite-tracker-by-star-walk/id1248172706) | 4.6 (69,547) | Free | Reference |
| [Night Sky](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/night-sky/id475772902) | 4.7 (492,103) | Free | Reference |
| [SkySafari](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skysafari/id1257281849) | 4.7 (17,831) | $0.99 | Reference |
| [SkySafari 7 Pro](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skysafari-7-pro/id1567658979) | 4.6 (5,434) | $17.99 | Reference |
| [SkySafari 7 Plus](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skysafari-7-plus/id1567654881) | 4.7 (1,671) | $9.99 | Reference |

---

*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 2026-08-27.*