Privacy Policy

Last updated: October 25, 2026

Station Pass ("the app") predicts when satellites and other objects are visible from where you are. This policy explains what information the app uses, where it goes, and the choices you have. In short: there's no account, no advertising and no analytics, and we don't receive or store your personal information.

The short version

• We don't run servers that receive your data, and we don't sell or share personal information.
• Your settings, saved places and other app data stay on your device.
• Your location is used on your device to calculate passes. Only an approximate location, rounded to about 1 km, is sent to Apple to fetch cloud forecasts.
• The app contains no advertising, analytics or tracking code.

Location

With your permission, the app uses your device's location while you're using it to work out which passes you can see and how dark your sky is. These calculations happen on your device. Your location is also used in these ways:

• Cloud forecasts. The app requests an hourly cloud forecast from Apple's WeatherKit service. Before the request is made, your location is rounded to about 1 km (0.01°).
• Place names and time zones. The app uses Apple's geocoding service to show a place name and determine the local time zone for your location or a saved place.
• Place search. When you search for a place to save, your search text is sent to Apple Maps to find matches.

Apple handles these requests under the Apple Privacy Policy. We don't receive them. You can stop the app from using your location at any time in iOS Settings → Station Pass → Location and use saved places instead.

Camera

If you open Sky view and allow camera access, the live camera image is shown on screen behind the drawing of the pass. The image is never recorded, saved or sent anywhere.

Photos

If you share a pass and choose Save Image, iOS asks for permission to add the pass card to your photo library. The app can only add images; it can't see or read your existing photos.

Motion and compass

Sky view and the finder use your device's motion sensors and compass to work out where you're pointing. This information is processed on your device and is not stored or sent anywhere.

Calendar

If you tap Add to Calendar, the app asks for permission to add events, and then adds that one pass to your calendar. It can't read your existing calendar events.

Notifications

Pass alerts are scheduled on your device. We don't use push notifications and we don't receive information about your alerts.

Public data the app downloads

To make predictions, the app downloads public scientific data directly from these organisations:

• CelesTrak (satellite orbits)
• NASA, including the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (station, asteroid and comet data)
• The IAU Minor Planet Center (comet orbits)
• The Space Devs' Launch Library (rocket launch schedules)

These requests don't include your location or any information about you. As with any internet request, the server receives your device's IP address, which each organisation handles under its own policies.

Information stored on your device

The app stores your settings, saved places, any brightness reports you give after a pass, the number of tips you've left, and cached orbital and forecast data on your device. Some of it is shared with the app's widgets through storage on the same device. None of it is sent to us. Deleting the app removes it.

Tips

Tips are optional in-app purchases processed by Apple. We don't receive your payment details or Apple ID. Apple tells the app whether a purchase succeeded, and the app keeps a count of your tips on your device to say thank you.

Contacting support

If you email us, we receive your email address and whatever you include in your message. We use it only to reply to you, and we delete support emails once they're no longer needed.

Children

Station Pass is suitable for all ages. It doesn't collect personal information from anyone, including children under 13.

Your rights

Because we don't collect or hold personal information about you, there's nothing for us to access, correct or delete on our side. You remain in control of the data on your device and can remove it by deleting the app. If you have a privacy question or request, contact us and we'll help.

This website

stationpass.org has no cookies, ads or analytics. The live tracker loads the space station's orbit data from our server, which keeps a copy from CelesTrak or ARISS. If you use Find passes over me, your browser asks for your location; the passes are calculated in your browser and your location is never sent to us or anyone else. Like any website, our host, Cloudflare, processes your IP address to deliver the pages.

Changes to this policy

If we change how the app handles information, we'll update this page and the date at the top. Significant changes will also be noted in the app's release notes.

Contact

Questions about this policy: [email protected]