Track the ISS Using DNS: A Tech Twist

Host

Welcome back to Tech Talk, everyone! Today, we’re diving into a fascinating intersection of technology and space. Have you ever wondered how we can pinpoint the location of the International Space Station using something as seemingly mundane as DNS? Well, we have an expert with us who’s going to break it down for us. Please welcome Terence Eden!

Expert

Hi! Thanks for having me. I'm excited to share this quirky side of DNS with everyone!

Host

Absolutely! So, for our listeners who may not be familiar, what exactly is DNS?

Expert

Great question! DNS stands for Domain Name System. It’s like the phonebook of the internet, translating human-friendly domain names like www.example.com into IP addresses that computers use to communicate with each other.

Host

Got it! So how does DNS relate to the International Space Station?

Expert

Well, there's a fascinating aspect of DNS called the LOC record, which stands for location. This experimental standard allows us to specify geographical coordinates for a server. This means you can technically find out where something is located, even in space!

Host

That's pretty cool! Can you explain how you created the domain name where-is-the-iss.dedyn.io?

Expert

Sure! I wanted to create a fun way to access the ISS's location using DNS. The domain itself doesn’t act like a website. Instead, you can query it using DNS commands to get the ISS's approximate location in real-time.

Host

So, what commands do our listeners need to use to get the ISS location?

Expert

If you're on Linux or Mac, you can use a command called 'dig'. Just type in 'dig where-is-the-iss.dedyn.io LOC', and you’ll receive a response with the ISS's current coordinates.

Host

That sounds easy enough! And how often does this information update?

Expert

The DNS records are updated every 15 minutes, so you’ll always have a fairly recent location.

Host

Interesting! You also mentioned using an API from N2YO to get the satellite's position. How does that work?

Expert

Yes! N2YO provides a great API that lets you access the latest data about various satellites, including the ISS. By calling their API, you get a JSON response with detailed information like latitude, longitude, and altitude.

Host

For our listeners, can you explain why the altitude is in kilometers while the LOC format requires it in meters?

Expert

Absolutely! It’s a common issue when working with different systems. The N2YO API gives altitude in kilometers, which is straightforward for most applications. However, the LOC record format used in DNS specifically requires altitude in meters. So, a quick conversion is necessary.

Host

That makes sense! It’s like translating a recipe from one measurement system to another. Lastly, what do you think is the most fun part about this project?

Expert

I think it’s the combination of something as technical as DNS with the excitement of tracking something as iconic as the ISS! Plus, it’s a fun way to learn more about both web technologies and space.

Host

I couldn’t agree more! Thank you so much for sharing your insights, Terence. It’s fascinating how tech can bridge the gap between our everyday lives and the vastness of space.

Expert

Thank you for having me! I hope everyone feels inspired to explore the quirks of technology!

Host

And that wraps up today’s episode. Thanks for tuning in, everyone! Until next time, keep exploring!