TLE API

Free TLE API with no key: search 20,000+ tracked satellites by name and fetch current two-line element sets as JSON-LD. Simple search endpoint, no account required.

No API key requiredCORS enabledHTTPSFree tier

Endpoint tested and returned HTTP 200 on 21 Aug 2026

What is the TLE API?

The TLE API is a free, key-free service that exposes current two-line element sets for tracked Earth satellites, with a search endpoint that lets you find objects by name rather than by NORAD catalogue number. Responses are JSON-LD using the Hydra vocabulary.

Most satellite element sources make you know the NORAD catalogue number before you can ask a question. This one does not: its `/api/tle?search=` endpoint matches on satellite name and returns paged results, which makes it the easier choice for anything user-facing where someone types "Hubble" rather than 20580. The per-satellite endpoint then returns the name, the epoch date and the two element lines verbatim.

It is a community-run mirror rather than an authoritative source — the elements ultimately originate from the US Space Force catalogue, the same data CelesTrak and Space-Track distribute, refreshed on the operator's own schedule. That is fine for visualisations and pass predictions, and worth knowing before you build anything that depends on freshness. The JSON-LD envelope adds `@context`, `@id` and `@type` keys alongside the data; they are harmless and can be ignored, but they will show up in any strict schema you generate from the response.

Quick facts

Base URL: https://tle.ivanstanojevic.me/api
Authentication: No API key or account. This is a community-operated mirror of publicly released US Space Force catalogue data, provided as a free service with no guarantee of uptime.
Rate limit: No published limit. Element sets update at most a few times a day, so frequent polling gains nothing and risks throttling.
Pricing: Free. The underlying orbital data is US government work.
CORS: Enabled — callable directly from browser JavaScript
Official docs: Read the docs

How to use the TLE API

Every request below was executed against the live API on 21 Aug 2026, and the response shown is the real body it returned — not an illustration.

1. Fetch the current two-line element set for the ISS

GET https://tle.ivanstanojevic.me/api/tle/25544

curl

curl 'https://tle.ivanstanojevic.me/api/tle/25544'

JavaScript (fetch)

const res = await fetch("https://tle.ivanstanojevic.me/api/tle/25544");
if (!res.ok) throw new Error(`Request failed: ${res.status}`);
const data = await res.json();
console.log(data);

Python (requests)

import requests

res = requests.get("https://tle.ivanstanojevic.me/api/tle/25544", timeout=20)
res.raise_for_status()
print(res.json())

Response — HTTP 200

{
  "@context": "https://www.w3.org/ns/hydra/context.jsonld",
  "@id": "https://tle.ivanstanojevic.me/api/tle/25544",
  "@type": "Tle",
  "satelliteId": 25544,
  "name": "ISS (ZARYA)",
  "date": "2026-08-20T13:34:42+00:00",
  "line1": "1 25544U 98067A   26232.56576862  .00008927  00000+0  16683-3 0  9992",
  "line2": "2 25544  51.6332 341.4615 0007678  66.5031 293.6764 15.49530645581738"
}

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
`satelliteId`	path segment	Optional	NORAD catalogue number, for a direct lookup. `25544`
`search`	query	Optional	Name search across the catalogue. The main reason to prefer this API. `starlink`
`page`	query	Optional	One-based page number for search results. `1`
`page-size`	query	Optional	Results per page, up to 100. `20`
`sort`	query	Optional	`id`, `name` or `popularity`. `popularity`

Response fields

satelliteIdinteger: NORAD catalogue number for the object.
namestring: Satellite name as it appears in the catalogue.
datestring: Epoch of the element set in ISO 8601. Check this before propagating.
line1 / line2string: The two element lines in classic fixed-column TLE format, ready to hand to an SGP4 library.
@context / @id / @typestring: JSON-LD Hydra envelope keys. Safe to ignore, but present on every response.
member[]array: On search responses, the array of matching satellites; `totalItems` gives the full count.

What you can build with the TLE API

Let users search for a satellite by name and show its current orbit
Fetch element sets for a pass-prediction feature
Build a satellite tracker without maintaining a catalogue mirror
Look up the epoch of the latest element set for a spacecraft
Teach orbital mechanics with a low-friction data source

Common errors and how to fix them

404

No satellite with that catalogue number.

Fix: Decayed objects leave the catalogue. Search by name first to confirm the object is still tracked.

Empty `member` array

The search string matched nothing.

Fix: Names follow catalogue conventions — `ISS (ZARYA)` rather than `International Space Station`. Try a distinctive substring.

Stale epoch

The mirror refreshes on its own schedule.

Fix: Compare `date` against now. If freshness is critical, take elements from CelesTrak or Space-Track directly.

Service unavailable

This is a single-operator community project.

Fix: Have a fallback source. Availability guarantees do not exist here, and neither does a support channel.

TLE API — frequently asked questions

Is the TLE API free and does it need a key?

Yes, free with no key and no account. It is a community-run service, so treat availability as best-effort rather than guaranteed.

Where does the orbital data come from?

Ultimately from the publicly released US Space Force catalogue, the same source CelesTrak and Space-Track publish. This API is a mirror with a friendlier search interface, refreshed on the operator's own schedule.

How do I find a satellite if I do not know its NORAD number?

Use `/api/tle?search=` with part of the name. That name search is the main advantage of this API over sources that require the catalogue number up front.

How current are the element sets?

Check the `date` field, which is the epoch the elements were fitted to. Low Earth orbit elements lose accuracy within a few days, so verify freshness before relying on a propagated position.

Tools that pair with this API

JSON Formatter

Format, beautify and minify JSON online with 2-space, 4-space or tab indentation. Sort keys alphabetically and catch syntax errors instantly — free and private.

Coordinate Converter

Convert GPS coordinates between decimal degrees, degrees-minutes-seconds and decimal minutes instantly. Paste any format like 40°26'46"N and copy the result.

Unit Converter

Convert between units of length, weight, temperature, area, volume, speed, time and data storage instantly, with a swap button and common conversion tables.

Alternatives to TLE API

If TLE API does not fit, these science & space apis cover similar ground. Every one was called before publishing, and each links to its own reference page with a working curl command and the response it returned.

API	What it does	Auth	CORS	Last verified
NASA APOD	Free NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day API. Daily space images with expert explanations, HD URLs and archive access back to 1995. Tested curl example.	Key	Yes	19 Aug 2026
Open Notify ISS	Free API returning the International Space Station's live latitude and longitude. No key, updates in real time. Tested curl example and live JSON response.	No key	Yes	19 Aug 2026
USGS Earthquake	Free USGS earthquake API with no key: live global seismic events as GeoJSON, filterable by magnitude, time and location. Tested curl example and live response.	No key	Yes	19 Aug 2026
Launch Library 2	Free rocket launch API with no key: upcoming and past launches from every space agency, with rockets, missions, pads and live stream links. Tested example.	No key	Yes	19 Aug 2026
UniProt	Free UniProt REST API with no key: protein sequences, functions, structures and cross-references for every known protein. Field selection keeps responses small. Tested example included.	No key	Yes	21 Aug 2026
Unpaywall	Free Unpaywall API with no key: find legal open-access versions of paywalled papers by DOI, with direct PDF links and licence information. Tested example.	No key	Yes	20 Aug 2026

All Science & Space APIs

TLE API is an independent third-party service and is not affiliated with ByteTools or ByteVancer. Details on this page were verified on 21 Aug 2026; always check the official documentation before relying on this API in production, as terms and limits can change.