Autostar - Manual Input of Satellite data 

1)  Visit www.heavens-above.com

2)  Enter your location.  Accuracy does count - Use MSN's Terraserver to find your location, then click one the "image info" link.  This leads you to a grid with the latitude and longitude imposed.

3)  Get the Satellite data. For this example, I'll use the ISS.  You can find other satellites in Heaven's Above satellite database - Use the name, ID, or launch year.  For the ISS, you have a few alternate ways to get to the orbital data:

a)  Use the direct link:  ISS orbital data.

b)  Use the Heaven's Above satellite database

c)  Use the Celestrak database.

Because NASA makes many adjustments to the ISS' orbit, you'll need these numbers for each session.  Here is the ISS orbital data as listed for June 4, 2002 on Heaven's Above:

4)  Power up Autostar and go to Object>Satellite>Select[enter].  Use the scroll keys to see if the ISS is in the list.

If it is there, then use the Edit function (scroll up from Select) and go to Step 5.

If it's not in the list, then [mode] back up until you're seeing Satellite>Select. Now press scroll-down, and you'll see Add[enter].  Then enter Name: ISS and go to Step 5.

5)  Enter Data.  The most common format is the two-line data set and here is the ISS data set from Heavens-Above for June 2, 2002:

1 25544U 98067A 02155.77474453 .00030828 00000-0 37266-3 0 5291
2 25544 51.6356 115.3170 0006498 150.8378 281.1957 15.60410749202098

1. Epoch year - 02155.77474453 = 2002
2. Epoch day - 02155.77474453 = 155.7747
3. Inclination = 51.6356
4. RA Asc. Node = 115.3170
5. Eccentricity = 0006498 - enter as 0.000650
6. Arg. of Perigee = 150.8378
7. Mean Anomaly = 281.1957
8. Mean Motion = 15.60410749

** Round the entries as needed.  You will need to truncate and/or round up some of the numbers to fit them in the Autostar.