A Full-Stack Web Architecture Approach: Real-Time Orbital Tracking and Visualization

Abstract

This paper presents a modern, full-stack web-based architecture for real-time Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite tracking and visualization. Traditional desktop-based satellite tracking software suffers from limited accessibility, poor cross-platform compatibility, and high computational overhead. To address these limitations, we propose a comprehensive system integrating FastAPI for backend processing, React for frontend development, and CesiumJS for 3D orbital visualization. The system leverages Two-Line Element (TLE) datasets from Celestrak to perform precise orbital mechanics calculations, converting satellite position data into geographic coordinates accessible through a responsive web interface. Performance evaluation demonstrates real-time tracking capabilities with sub-200ms latency, supporting visualization of 100+ simultaneous satellites with stable frame rates. The proposed architecture achieves a 77% latency improvement over traditional approaches through asynchronous processing and intelligent caching strategies [1]. This work contributes a scalable, low-latency solution for space situational awareness, amateur radio coordination, and space debris monitoring accessible to researchers and enthusiasts worldwide.