Starlink Train Tracker

What is a Starlink train?

SpaceX launches Starlink satellites in batches of a couple of dozen. For the first days after launch they fly one behind another in a low orbit, before each one raises itself to its working altitude. While they are still low and close together, sunlight catches them as a line of bright dots crossing the night sky — the “train” people photograph.

How long does a train last?

Usually a few days to a few weeks. As the satellites climb they drift apart, the line breaks up and they get fainter. Orbital Traffic checks every recent launch against four tests — launched recently, still below its working altitude, still in one orbital plane, and still bunched together — and only calls it a train while all four hold.

When can I see it?

In the hour or two after sunset or before sunrise, when your sky is dark but the satellites overhead are still in sunlight. In Orbital Traffic, open a train and tap “When can I see it from here?” for its visible passes over where you are. Your location is only read when you tap, and the calculation runs on your own device.