Kayhan Space unveils its spaceflight intelligence exchange Satcat

June 17, 2024
Satcat aggregates historical and real-time data for objects and events in Earth’s orbit.

BROOMFIELD, Colo. - Kayhan Space in Broomfield, Colo. announced the launch of Satcat.com, its comprehensive spaceflight intelligence exchange that aggregates historical and real-time data for objects and events in Earth’s orbit. Satcat aims to be a one-stop platform for researching, analyzing, and referencing space-related data for the space curious up to industry experts. 
 

Kayhan says numerous resources provide essential information on orbital assets and industry lacks a single platform for data like active and decayed satellite counts, real-time and historical two-line elements (TLE) data, and space weather forecasts. Satcat addresses this gap by offering a comprehensive, public resource for searching, referencing, and analyzing information related to objects and activities in Earth’s orbit.

“Creating Satcat was driven by a passion for simplifying access to vital satellite data for aerospace industry professionals and enthusiasts alike,” explained Hyun Seo, VP of Product at Kayhan Space and lead designer of the Satcat platform. “Industry professionals, including our in-house astrodynamics team, often rely on multiple datasets with different interfaces, scales, and units, significantly slowing them down. By unifying these diverse datasets into a single place, Satcat streamlines the research and analysis process for these professionals and beyond.”

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Satcat hosts a database of over 60,000 objects that can be searched by name, NORAD/COSPAR ID, or advanced queries such as object type, launch date, country of origin, apogee, and perigee. Each object has a reference page with detailed information on its orbit, latest TLE update, country of origin, launch date, object type, and a 10-day visibility forecast relative to the user's location. Up to four years of historical TLE data is available for space objects. The 3D globe view offers a dynamic, real-time visual representation of active payloads, rocket bodies, and space debris. The Launch Stats tab allows users to stay updated on upcoming launch activity.

For advanced analytics, Satcat's Sandbox feature lets users quickly analyze satellite orbits and compare primary TLE inputs against up to 10 secondary TLEs. Satcat's toolkit includes astrodynamics tools like a TLE visualizer and a multi-format time converter. Users can join the platform’s Discord server to share findings, request new features, and receive support.

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Space weather events can risk satellite operations, causing equipment damage, orbital anomalies, and communication loss. Satcat provides historical, current, and forecasted information for these events using the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Space Weather Scales, offering a comprehensive look at orbital activity around Earth.

“Kayhan's tools help analysts quickly navigate contextual data to make sense of orbital events. For example, how many objects have Chinese spaceplanes deployed? What else is in a similar orbit? These tools make it easy to answer these questions,” remarks Maj. Sean Allen, Chief of the U.S. Space Force’s SDA TAP Lab.

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