Cron Automate

Cron Automate runs every minute to fetch satellite position data from an API and publishes it via MQTT. This workflow automates real-time tracking, ensuring timely updates on satellite locations for enhanced monitoring and integration.

7/8/2025
4 nodes
Simple
schedulesimplemqttautomationapiintegration
Categories:
Schedule TriggeredSimple WorkflowTechnical Infrastructure & DevOps
Integrations:
Mqtt

Target Audience

Target Audience


- Developers: Those looking to automate tasks using n8n and MQTT.
- IoT Enthusiasts: Individuals interested in tracking satellite data in real-time.
- Data Analysts: Professionals needing to collect and analyze satellite position data.
- Automation Engineers: Engineers aiming to integrate various systems for automated data flow.

Problem Solved

Problem Solved


This workflow automates the process of fetching satellite position data from an API every minute, eliminating the need for manual data retrieval. It integrates this data into an MQTT broker, allowing for real-time data distribution and monitoring. This addresses the challenges of timely data collection and dissemination in tracking satellite movements.

Workflow Steps

Workflow Steps


1. Cron Trigger: The workflow starts with a Cron node set to trigger every minute, ensuring the process runs on a consistent schedule.
2. HTTP Request: It sends an HTTP GET request to https://api.wheretheiss.at/v1/satellites/25544/positions, retrieving the latest position data of the International Space Station (ISS).
3. Data Processing: The data is parsed using a Set node, extracting key information such as:
- Name: The name of the satellite.
- Latitude: The current latitude position.
- Longitude: The current longitude position.
- Timestamp: The exact time of the data retrieval.
4. MQTT Publishing: Finally, the extracted data is published to the MQTT topic iss-position, making it available for other applications or devices to consume.

Customization Guide

Customization Guide


- Change Trigger Frequency: Adjust the triggerTimes in the Cron node to run the workflow at different intervals (e.g., every 5 minutes or hourly).
- Modify API Endpoint: Update the URL in the HTTP Request node to fetch data from a different API if needed.
- Add More Data Fields: In the Set node, include additional fields from the API response by adding more entries in the values section.
- Change MQTT Topic: Modify the topic parameter in the MQTT node to publish data to a different topic, allowing for better organization of messages.