Google Satellites

For years I’ve used satellite tracking software in my physics classes, showing students how we can track the thousands of orbiting objects around Earth.  We usually calculate the orbit of the space station or space telescope and confirm our results online.  Now the fun and free Google Earth application has added satellite tracking.

There is a post about this in the Google Earth Blog where you can load the Google Earth plugin into your browsers and play with the application.  You can also watch a YouTube video of the new feature.

If you have the Google Earth application loaded onto your computer, load the Analytic Graphics Incorporated KML file to give it this capability.

Of course you can also stick with NASA’s online J-Track 3D for fancy satellite tracking, or track the Hubble Space Telescope and International Space Station.