ISS orbital elements (TRIPWIRE)

CEV-OS / Data API / ISS orbital elements (TRIPWIRE)

CEV-OS Data API · last updated 2026-11-04. Status: live. Version 1.

Use this when you need the International Space Station's current orbital elements (CelesTrak OMM: epoch, inclination, mean motion, eccentricity...), altitude and orbital period to propagate its position yourself with SGP4.

What it is

The latest public CelesTrak GP element set (OMM fields) for the ISS (NORAD 25544) as used by the TRIPWIRE map, plus the altitude TRIPWIRE propagated at fetch time and the orbital period. Ground position is deliberately not returned (the Data API carries no coordinate fields); propagate the elements with SGP4 (e.g. satellite.js, sgp4) to get it. If CelesTrak is down the elements are null and only the wheretheiss.at altitude is given. Not for navigation or conjunction screening.

Endpoints

REST: GET /v1/iss-orbit on https://api.cev-os.com
Legacy host (same service): GET /v1/iss-orbit on https://cev-os.com
MCP tool: get_iss_orbit on https://mcp.cev-os.com/mcp

Parameters

None. This product takes no query parameters.

Example request

No account and no key. Query values below are the examples or defaults from the registry. An optional free key (header x-api-key) raises the limits; create one at https://cev-os.com/#api_keys after signing in with a verified email (Google sign-in is already verified).

curl -s "https://api.cev-os.com/v1/iss-orbit"

Example response

Every /v1 response is a JSON envelope (schema_version, product, timestamps, license, attribution, data). The registry example is the data member:

{
  "name": "ISS (ZARYA)",
  "norad_id": 25544,
  "epoch": "2026-11-01T12:00:00.000000",
  "altitude_km": 418,
  "period_min": 92.9,
  "source": "celestrak",
  "elements": {
    "object_name": "ISS (ZARYA)",
    "mean_motion": 15.5,
    "inclination": 51.64,
    "eccentricity": 0.0005
  }
}

Update frequency

TRIPWIRE refreshes the ISS element set every 5 minutes on demand (CelesTrak publishes new ISS elements a few times a day); cached 10 min.

Public cache: 600 seconds (Cache-Control: public, max-age=600).

Sources, license and usage

License status: cleared with attribution. CelesTrak redistributes ISS GP/OMM elements that originate from space-track.org; attribution required, redistribution terms uncertain. The wheretheiss.at fallback is CC BY 4.0. No position or track is returned.

Underlying sources
Source	License	commercialOk	Terms
CelesTrak GP orbital elements (OMM) for the ISS (NORAD 25544)	CelesTrak redistributes GP/OMM element sets that originate from space-track.org (18 SDS / USSF). CelesTrak asks for attribution. space-track.org terms restrict redistribution; reuse is attribution-required / uncertain, not a fully open license. Cite CelesTrak.	true	https://celestrak.org/webmaster.php
wheretheiss.at (fallback altitude only)	CC BY 4.0 (attribution)	true	https://wheretheiss.at/w/developer

Attribution (show this wherever you display the data):

Orbital data: CelesTrak (https://celestrak.org/). Fallback: wheretheiss.at (CC BY 4.0). Via cev-os TRIPWIRE.

Privacy class: public-derived. Access: public. Price: free (price is null; pay-per-call is not active).

Gaps

No sub-satellite point or ground track (the Data API carries no coordinate fields); propagate the elements yourself.

Disclaimer

Informational. Not for navigation, collision avoidance or safety-of-life use.

Data API hub (all products, limits, license notes)
MCP Registry listing com.cev-os/data
OpenAPI 3.1
Machine product list: /v1/products

Reference data, not investment advice.