How to track a satellite by NORAD ID
Every tracked object has a unique catalog number. If you know it, you can find any satellite in seconds.
A NORAD ID (also called a satellite catalog number or SATCAT ID) is the unique integer assigned to every object the US Space Force tracks. The ISS is 25544, Hubble is 20580. It never changes, which makes it the most reliable way to pin down a specific satellite.
Find the number
You can look up a NORAD ID on CelesTrak or Space-Track. It is the first number on each line of the object's TLE.
Track it
In Vantafort the catalog number is the deep link. Open /app/catalog/25544 and the ISS loads already selected; swap in any other number to jump straight to that object, its ground track, and its footprint in real time.
NORAD ID vs international designator
Do not confuse the two. The NORAD number is a plain sequential catalog integer. The international designator (for example 1998-067A for the ISS) instead encodes the launch year, the launch number of that year, and which piece of the launch it was.
New to this? Start with how to track satellites.
Frequently asked questions
- What is a NORAD ID?
- A NORAD catalog number, also called a satellite catalog number or SATCAT ID, is the unique integer assigned to every tracked object. The ISS is 25544.
- Where do I find a satellite's NORAD ID?
- On CelesTrak or Space-Track, or in most trackers' search. For reference, the ISS is 25544 and Hubble is 20580.
- Is the NORAD ID the same as the international designator?
- No. The NORAD number is a sequential catalog integer. The international designator, for example 1998-067A, encodes the launch year, launch number, and piece.