What is the difference between LaunchDetect and n2yo?

n2yo is a satellite tracker focused on real-time satellite position lookup and visible-pass prediction from publicly available TLE data. LaunchDetect is a broader space-situational-awareness platform that includes a satellite tracker plus independent rocket-launch detection from geostationary thermal infrared imagery, a 3D Cesium globe, NOTAMs, ADS-B aircraft, AIS vessels, AR sky overlay, native iOS / Android apps, and a public space data API. For pure satellite-position lookup either works; for an integrated platform with launch detection, AR, mobile, and a modern UI, LaunchDetect is the more capable tool.

Which is better, LaunchDetect or n2yo?

LaunchDetect is better for users who want an integrated platform with launch detection, AR sky overlay, mobile apps, NOTAMs, ADS-B aircraft, and AIS vessels alongside the satellite catalog. n2yo is a mature satellite tracker focused on the satellite catalog with a long history of pass-prediction users. LaunchDetect uniquely offers independent thermal-IR launch detection — confirming every rocket launch on Earth within 30-90 seconds of ignition, primary-source data not available from n2yo or any other public service.

Does n2yo detect rocket launches?

No. n2yo is a satellite tracker; it does not perform rocket-launch detection. n2yo lists scheduled launch times when they are publicly announced by the operator. LaunchDetect independently detects every launch from NOAA GOES and JMA Himawari thermal imagery within 30 to 90 seconds of ignition — including launches not pre-announced (military and competitive missions).

Does n2yo have an AR sky overlay?

No. LaunchDetect's AR replay (Gold tier in the iOS / Android app) lets you point your phone at the sky to see what's passing in real time. n2yo does not offer an AR feature.

LaunchDetect vs n2yo.

Both track satellites. Only one detects launches.

Feature matrix

Feature	LaunchDetect	n2yo
Live satellite catalog	10,000+ objects, CelesTrak TLE refresh	CelesTrak / Space-Track TLE
3D globe view	Yes — Cesium	2D Google Maps only
Independent rocket-launch detection	Thermal IR from NOAA GOES + JMA Himawari, 30-90s from ignition	Schedule-only, from operator press releases
Spaceport thermal-anomaly archive	Per-launch citation pages with Event JSON-LD	No
NOTAM overlay	FAA AST notices, geofenced to launch corridors	No
ADS-B aircraft layer	Real-time	No
AIS vessel layer	SpaceX droneships + range vessels	No
Wildfire thermal anomalies	Same sensor stack	No
AR sky overlay	Point phone at sky (Gold tier)	No
Native iOS app	App Store, iOS 17+	Mobile-web only
Native Android app	Google Play, Android 12+	Mobile-web only
Push alerts on launch detection	APNs + FCM, 30-90s latency	No
Geofilter alerts	Per-spaceport, per-operator, per-vehicle	No
Visibility predictor (Tonight's Sky)	Bright satellite passes from your location	Pass predictor
Public API + structured data	JSON, RSS, Atom + schema.org Event JSON-LD per launch	REST API (paid keys)
Webhook delivery	Business tier	No
Free tier	Full live map + archive	Free with ads

When to pick which

Pick n2yo if you want a focused, no-frills satellite-position tracker with a long history. It's a good single-purpose tool.

Pick LaunchDetect if you want everything in one place — satellite tracking plus independent launch confirmation, AR overlay, native mobile apps, NOTAMs, vessels, aircraft, and a modern API with webhook delivery on detection events.