How to Join the Network: Getting Your TinyGS Account
A simple guide to registering your TinyGS account and becoming a Tiner using email invitations or Telegram.
Join the World's Largest Satellite Tracking Network 🛰️
TinyGS is the open-source global satellite network that empowers anyone, anywhere to become a space pioneer — for free. Join the global TinyGS community.
8,250+
Tiners
2,250+
Active Stations
65M+
Telemetry Packets
Space Science: Right from your backyard!
Features
What you get when you join TinyGS
Build your own tiny, affordable ground station and join thousands of citizen scientists tracking satellites collecting vital telemetry, contributing to real science projects!
Easy-to-build station
Easy-to-build ground stations using readily available components.
Open-Source KNOWLEDGE
Open-source knowledge and amazing community support.
Real-time satellite data
Access to real-time satellite data and cutting-edge space technology.
Global citizen science
Be part of a global citizen science network making real impact.
Space Situational Awareness (SSA)
Helping keeping track of objects in orbit and predicting where they will be at any given time.
Compete with friends
Who will capture more satellites or conquer more areas of the sky?
For radio amateurs & makers
Track Satellites From Your Backyard
Join a global network of citizen scientists
TinyGS is a free, open-source platform that turns a $20 LoRa board into a fully functional satellite ground station.Affordable LoRa hardware
Any ESP32 LoRa board ($20–30) is all you need. Dozens of compatible boards are supported out of the box.
Plug in, point up, receive
Flash the firmware directly from your browser, connect to Wi-Fi, and your station starts receiving satellite signals automatically. No RF expertise required.
Community-powered learning
TinyGS is more than hardware: it is a global community where makers, radio amateurs, and satellite teams exchange knowledge and help each other grow.
For satellite operators
Give Your Satellite a Global Ground Network
Trusted by CubeSat teams, universities, and commercial smallsat operators worldwide.
Worldwide coverage, instantly
Over 2,200 active stations across the globe mean your satellite is heard every time it passes overhead — anywhere on Earth.
Real-time telemetry dashboard
Access a live dashboard showing every packet received, from every station, the moment it happens. No setup required on your end.
Real-time orbital tracking
Generate independent, fresh TLEs directly from downlinked radio passes. Stop relying on outdated public tracking data—predict your satellite's position with higher precision using custom, community-refined orbital elements.
Become a Tiner and receive your first satellite.
Step 1: Join the community
Ask any friend in the community for an e-mail invitation, or join our Telegram Channel.
For workshops or educational purposes, contact us for invites.
👉 Learn how to join step-by-step
Step 2: Buy inexpensive HW $20-30
Check the documentation, there are dozens of compatible ESP32 / ESP32S3 LoRa boards, don't forget to choose the 433MHz version and build your DIY antenna.
👉 Check the Ground Station BOM (Hardware Guide)
Step 3: Flash firmware from your browser
Use the TinyGS Web Installer to flash the firmware directly from your browser — no drivers, no terminal, no technical setup required. Just connect your board via USB and click flash.
Ready!
Community
Who is TinyGS for?
Whether you're a curious maker or a professional satellite operator, there's a place for you in TinyGS.
Radio Amateurs
Put your ham radio skills to work tracking real satellites and contributing to a global receiving network.
Makers & DIYers
Build your own ground station from scratch with a $20–30 ESP32 LoRa board and a homemade antenna.
Space Enthusiasts
Follow live satellite passes, explore telemetry data, and feel connected to the spacecraft above.
Schools & Teachers
Bring space into the classroom with a real hands-on project that teaches electronics, coding, and orbital mechanics.
Satellite Operators
Get free global ground station coverage for your CubeSat or smallsat mission, with a real-time telemetry dashboard.
Institutions & mission partners
Tap into a global low-cost receiving network for orbital intelligence, propagation analysis, and satellite operations, with coverage that scales as the community grows.
Find out more content in our Blog
View all posts »Stay up to date with TinyGS news, satellite tracking guides, hardware tips, and community stories from Tiners around the world.
Weekly Newsletter - May 31, 2026
This week, the TinyGS community tackled everything from coax impedance mysteries to the launch of a brand-new tutorial hub, while a detailed debate on SDR vs. hardware LoRa decoding and a successful cross-band Starlink capture kept the technical conversations flowing. A new landing page and login system rolled out, bringing both fresh features and a few hiccups that the group quickly resolved together.
Gathering Your Equipment: The tinyGS Ground Station BOM
A complete guide to the hardware, antennas, and cables needed to build your first automated satellite tracking station.
Weekly Newsletter - May 24, 2026
This week, the TinyGS community tackled everything from antenna optimization and filter design to the fascinating possibility of LoRa Earth-Moon-Earth communication. A critical fix for decoding Tianqi satellites was shared, while Thailand's Satfinder project celebrated a massive expansion of the ground station network, and members dove into the technical details of the PY4 mission's data collection methods.
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
Why tinyGS?
tinyGS is an open-source project that allows anyone to set up a low-cost satellite ground station using inexpensive LoRa hardware (like ESP32). By joining the network, you contribute to a global community that provides real-time tracking and data reception for hundreds of satellites and weather probes, making space exploration accessible to everyone.
What do I need to start?
To get started, you need a supported LoRa board (such as the Heltec WiFi LoRa 32 or TTGO LoRa32), an antenna tuned to the correct frequency (usually 433MHz or 868/915MHz), and a power source. Simply flash the tinyGS firmware onto your board, connect it to your local Wi-Fi, and your station will begin automatically uploading received packets to the network.
Can we transmit data to the satellites with tinyGS?
While tinyGS is primarily a receive-only (RX) network, some satellite operators occasionally allow for data uplink. However, to participate in these transmissions, you must hold a valid Amateur Radio License to comply with international radio regulations and legal requirements.
How tinyGS help on the safety of space?
By acting as a massive, distributed sensor array. By capturing precise timestamps of signal reception across thousands of global coordinates, the network helps track and verify the orbital position of satellites. This data is vital for predicting satellite paths and avoiding collisions, which is the primary defense against the Kessler Syndrome.
I'm a satellite operator, how can I add it to tinyGS?
We welcome new missions! Contact us via GitHub or Telegram with your satellite's NORAD ID and modulation parameters (LoRa/FSK). Once integrated, our global network will provide you with a real-time dashboard of your satellite's health and telemetry from across the planet.
What is the Kessler Syndrome?
The Kessler Syndrome is a theoretical scenario where the density of objects in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) is high enough that a single collision could cause a cascade of debris, making space activities and satellites impossible for generations. tinyGS helps prevent this by providing precise, crowdsourced tracking data.
Support TinyGS — a non-profit
run by volunteers
100% of donations go directly to keeping the network alive and growing.
Every contribution, big or small, makes a difference. 🌟