LaunchDetect
Launch Watch · the public journal

Space above us.
The ocean below.

Read the launch record. Follow the people in orbit. Explore how the paths to space connect with the world we share.

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NASA Blue Marble Earth imagery

Field notes

Guides to the public map
Launch Watch

Meet 5 cargo spacecraft that have resupplied the ISS

The ISS delivery fleet has included very different ways to arrive, unload and depart.

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Launch Watch

6 parts of a Falcon 9 you can spot in launch photos

That black band and those folded shapes have jobs. Here is a six-part photo guide.

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Launch Watch

5 things to know about how Starlink satellites work

The satellite train is the opening scene. Here is what has to happen after deployment.

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Launch Watch

Why Elevated Plumes Can Appear in the Wrong Place on a Map

Understand satellite parallax, why an elevated feature can be displaced on a map, and what height-aware location claims require.

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Launch Watch

Geostationary vs. Polar-Orbiting Satellites for Launch Observation

Compare GOES ABI and VIIRS observation opportunities, scan timing, spatial sampling and coverage limits before interpreting a launch image.

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Launch Watch

How to Evaluate Launch Evidence: A Practical Pilot Scorecard

Define a launch-evidence pilot with a baseline, honest denominators, missing-data rules, timing evidence and clear stop criteria.

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Launch Watch

How to Write a Source-Linked Launch Evidence Brief

Use a practical briefing template to connect every launch claim with its source, distinguish modeled context and preserve unresolved questions.

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Launch Watch

How to Verify a Satellite-Based Launch Claim

Trace launch claims to primary sources with a practical worksheet separating observations, interpretations, event confirmation and missing evidence.

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Launch Watch

From Satellite Scan to Launch Evidence: Which Timestamp Means What?

Separate satellite acquisition, detection, publication and retrieval times with a source-linked timeline and a reusable timestamp ledger.

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Reading the evidence

What a satellite thermal signal says about a launch

Why a bright infrared pixel can support a launch interpretation, and which claims need more evidence.

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Space law

Observing spaceflight: Article X

What does the Outer Space Treaty say about opportunities to observe spaceflight?

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Ocean context

Where launch areas meet fishing zones

Compare modeled launch areas with worldwide maritime resource zones.

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Blender illustration of the ISS
People in orbit

Follow the people’s outposts in orbit

Choose a spacecraft, follow its path, and read the UTC markers around Earth.

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Developer guide

Map the latest detected space launch with the free API

Fetch the latest detected launch, inspect its evidence, and map its launch-site coordinates with AI agents or GIS tools.

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Looking for a specific launch?
The public map links each launch to its published evidence record.

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Earlier journal articles →

LAUNCH WATCH

Periodic launch briefings

Weekly launch outlooks and monthly activity reviews from LaunchDetect.

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