· DATA SOURCESLaunch Data Sources & Accuracy
Everything T-Rocket shows you comes from somewhere. This page says where, how fresh it is, and where the limits are.
Where does T-Rocket's launch data come from?
All launch data on T-Rocket comes from Launch Library 2, the open launch database run by The Space Devs. That includes liftoff times, rockets, missions, payloads, launch providers, pads, spaceports, crew, booster history and launch status.
T-Rocket does not maintain its own launch database and does not edit the values it receives. If a time is wrong in Launch Library 2, it is wrong here too. That is a deliberate trade: one well maintained source beats a private copy that quietly drifts.
How often is the data updated?
Upcoming launches are refetched on our server every 5 minutes. Your browser keeps its copy for up to 5 more minutes, so what you see is at most about 10 minutes old.
| DATA | SOURCE | REFRESHED |
|---|---|---|
| Upcoming launches | Launch Library 2 | every 5 minutes |
| Recent launches | Launch Library 2 | every 10 minutes |
| Spaceflight events | Launch Library 2 | every 15 minutes |
| News | Spaceflight News API | every 15 minutes |
| Weather at the pad | MET Norway | every 30 minutes |
| Geomagnetic Kp index | NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center | every 10 minutes |
| ISS and Tiangong orbits | CelesTrak | every 6 hours |
| People in space, launches per country | Launch Library 2 | once a day |
Requests go through our own server cache, never straight from your browser to the data providers. That keeps their rate limits intact and means your IP address is not passed on to them. Details are in the privacy policy.
What do GO, TBC and TBD mean?
GO means the launch is confirmed for the listed time. TBC means the date is to be confirmed. TBD means the date is still to be determined.
All times are NET times, short for "no earlier than": a launch can slip later, but it will not happen earlier than the time shown.
Why do launch times change so often?
Because a launch date is a plan, not a promise. Weather at the pad or in the recovery area, technical checks, range conflicts with other launches, and payload readiness all move dates, sometimes minutes before liftoff.
The further away a launch is, the rougher its time. Each launch detail view shows a precision indicator that tells you how exact the given time actually is, from an exact minute down to "sometime this quarter".
Where does the weather information come from?
Two different things are shown and they should not be confused.
- Weather GO percentage and weather risk: these come from Launch Library 2 and originate with the launch provider or the range. T-Rocket passes them through and does not calculate them.
- Conditions at the pad: a general forecast from MET Norway for the pad coordinates, licensed CC BY 4.0. That is ordinary weather, not an official launch weather forecast.
Where do the maps come from?
- 2D map: OpenFreeMap, rendered with MapLibre GL.
- Satellite view: Esri World Imagery, switched on only when you choose it.
- Night view: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS).
- Country flags are hosted on our own server, so no third party learns which launches you look at.
Where do the photos come from?
Rocket and spaceport photos come from NASA (public domain), Unsplash, Pexels and Wikimedia Commons. T-Rocket only shows images whose licence permits this use, and the credit is displayed on every image. Where no suitably licensed photo exists for a rocket, a neutral fallback image is shown instead of a wrong one.
What T-Rocket cannot tell you
The honest part, because it decides whether the rest is worth anything.
- T-Rocket is not an official source. Only the launch provider and the range can confirm a launch. If T-Rocket and the launch provider disagree, the launch provider is right.
- Orbital launches only. Suborbital flights, test hops and most sounding rockets are not covered.
- Classified and military missions often carry incomplete or withheld payload information.
- Times far in the future are estimates. A launch listed months ahead will very likely move.
- No guarantee of completeness. A launch missing from Launch Library 2 is missing here.
- No liability. Do not plan travel, a viewing trip or anything else that costs money on these times alone without checking the launch provider.
How to cite T-Rocket
You are welcome to cite or link this site. Please pass on the credit for the underlying data.
Found a mistake?
Wrong time, wrong spaceport, missing launch: tell us and it gets checked. Contact details are in the imprint. If the error is in the underlying data, the right place is The Space Devs, and a note to us helps us follow it up.
More questions are answered in the FAQ. The full list of upcoming launches is on the launch schedule.