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Send updates about the position of the ISS every minute to a topic in Kafka

This workflow automatically retrieves real-time location information of the International Space Station (ISS) every minute, organizes the data, and pushes it to a specified Kafka topic, achieving high-frequency updates and distribution of orbital data. Through this process, users can monitor the ISS's position in real time, avoiding manual queries and ensuring that data is transmitted quickly and stably to downstream systems, supporting subsequent analysis and visualization. It is suitable for various scenarios, including aerospace research, real-time tracking, and big data applications.

Workflow Diagram
Send updates about the position of the ISS every minute to a topic in Kafka Workflow diagram

Workflow Name

Send updates about the position of the ISS every minute to a topic in Kafka

Key Features and Highlights

This workflow automatically retrieves the real-time position data of the International Space Station (ISS) every minute, including its name, latitude, longitude, and timestamp. The data is then processed and pushed in real-time to a specified Kafka topic, enabling high-frequency, automated updates and distribution of orbital data.

Core Problem Addressed

Provides real-time monitoring and distribution of ISS location data, eliminating the need for manual queries and data collection. It ensures fast and stable data delivery to downstream systems or applications, supporting subsequent analysis, visualization, or alerting requirements.

Use Cases

  • Aerospace research data monitoring
  • Real-time orbital tracking systems
  • Location data-driven application development
  • Integration of real-time data streams into big data platforms or message queues
  • Real-time ISS position display for educational and popular science projects

Main Workflow Steps

  1. Cron Node: Triggers the workflow every minute.
  2. HTTP Request Node: Calls a public API to fetch the ISS position data at the current timestamp.
  3. Set Node: Extracts and organizes key fields (name, latitude, longitude, timestamp), formatting the data.
  4. Kafka Node: Sends the processed data to a designated Kafka topic for consumption by other systems.

Systems or Services Involved

  • External API Service: https://api.wheretheiss.at for obtaining ISS position data
  • Kafka Message Queue: Facilitates real-time data pushing and distribution
  • n8n Automation Platform: Orchestrates and connects the entire data flow

Target Users and Value

Ideal for aerospace monitoring personnel, data engineers, real-time data analysts, and developers. This workflow helps teams achieve automated, high-frequency orbital data collection and distribution, reducing manual effort, enhancing data timeliness and reliability, and promoting diverse application development based on ISS location data.