Receive updates for the position of the ISS every minute and push it to a database

For the ISS tracking workflow, receive real-time updates on the International Space Station's position every minute and automatically store the data in Google Firebase Realtime Database. This ensures accurate and timely location tracking, enhancing data accessibility and integration for further analysis or applications.

7/8/2025
4 nodes
Simple
schedulesimplegooglefirebaserealtimedatabaseautomationapiintegrationdatastorage
Categories:
Schedule TriggeredSimple Workflow
Integrations:
GoogleFirebaseRealtimeDatabase

Target Audience

This workflow is ideal for:
- Developers looking to integrate real-time satellite data into applications.
- Educators who want to teach students about satellite tracking and data integration.
- Data Analysts interested in space data for analysis or visualization projects.
- Hobbyists who are passionate about space and want to monitor the ISS's position.
- Researchers studying satellite movements and their implications.

Problem Solved

This workflow addresses the challenge of obtaining real-time position data for the International Space Station (ISS) and storing it efficiently in a database.
By automating the process, it eliminates the need for manual data collection and ensures that users always have access to the latest coordinates of the ISS.

Workflow Steps

  • Cron Trigger: The workflow starts with a Cron node that triggers every minute.
    2. HTTP Request: An HTTP Request node retrieves the current position of the ISS from the API (https://api.wheretheiss.at/v1/satellites/25544/positions).
    3. Data Extraction: The Set node processes the response from the HTTP request, extracting the latitude, longitude, and timestamp of the ISS's position.
    4. Database Push: Finally, the Google Cloud Realtime Database node pushes the extracted data to a specified path (iss), allowing for real-time updates and easy access to the latest information.

    • Customization Guide

    Users can customize this workflow by:
    - Changing the Trigger Frequency: Adjust the Cron node to trigger at different intervals (e.g., every 5 minutes or hourly).
    - Modifying the Database Path: Update the path in the Google Cloud Realtime Database node to store data under a different key.
    - Adding Additional Data Processing: Include more Set nodes to extract and store additional data fields from the HTTP response.
    - Integrating with Other Services: Connect to other APIs or services to enrich the data or trigger other workflows based on the ISS's position.