Rocket Tracker

Launch viewing and launch photography planning is scattered. A launch time is only the beginning.

The useful question is usually: where should I watch from? For photographers and launch watchers, the pad, trajectory, range, timing, and viewing-site viability all matter. Rocket Tracker exists to turn that scattered planning problem into a faster decision.

Built first for me and people who want to watch or photograph US rocket launches without stitching together every planning detail manually.

• Which upcoming launch is worth tracking.
• Which viewing locations are likely to make sense for that launch.
• Whether current filters are hiding everything.
• Whether it is worth checking back later.

Rocket Tracker should behave less like a raw schedule and more like a decision layer. A flat list of launches is useful, but it does not answer the field question.

The product should make launch context visible enough that someone can compare options quickly.

• Rank or organize viewing sites by usefulness, not just generic distance.
• Make filters helpful without making the planning surface feel heavy.
• Keep launch context easy to compare at a glance.
• Keep the mobile experience simple because planning often happens away from a desk.
• Prefer clear current state over complex source explanation.

At a high level, Rocket Tracker combines a launch list, viewing-site catalogue, launch context, ranking and scoring, filter controls, and clear loading, empty, and error states.

The live tool exists and is useful as a planning surface. The next step is keeping launch context easy to compare as the tool gains saved preferences, watchlists, and more field-planning details.

• Real freshness or last-updated indicator when available from the app.
• Saved preferences for commonly used filters.
• Watchlist for launches worth checking again.
• Later: weather and visibility overlays, field checklist, and photo-planning notes.

Have an idea or bug report? Request a feature.