I found another great free and open source software (FOSS) which lets me track satellites location orbiting around earth. The software is named GPredict for its capability to predict satellites orbit and footprint on the sky.

My first impression of this software itself makes me go wow, as the software is able to track known satellites path around the earth which includes GPS satellites, Weather Satellites, Iridium satellites, geostationary,military and satellites used for scientific purpose.

GPredict-ing GPS Satellites
To test the accuracy of GPredict, I whipped out a GPS-capable device which runs Garmin Que navigation software. The Garmin device has an informative screen which represent GPS satellites visible on the sky according to their PRN id.

Then I created a module on GPredict which tracks those satellites. The GPredict results seems to tally with the Garmin Que results! Moreover GPredict is able to tell GPS satellites that Garmin Que has missed on its initial sweeps, which then appears on the Que screen shortly after.

Predicting Satellite Pass
GPredict also able to tell when certain satellites will pass over a designated area, it also able to estimate the satellite visibility duration — a valueable information if you’re into satellite hunting or are using satellites to communicate.

GPredict Screenshot

GPredict Downloads
GPredict is licensed under the GNU General Public License and can be downloaded from its official website : Groundstation GPredict.

A Microsoft Windows port is available from GPredict Sourceforge project page.

GPredict is also available in the Debian and Ubuntu Gutsy Gibbon / Feisty Fawn apt-get repository.

ps: You can also view the location of MEASAT-1, MEASAT-2 astro satellites, though it is rather pointless to track since both satellites are positioned in a geostationary orbit.

[tags]gps,satellites,linux,opensource,open source,feisty fawn,gutsy,ubuntu,debian,ham,hamradio,foss,gnu gpl[/tags]

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