Clear-Globe ISS Tracker Turns Orbital Data Into Desk Art

A hardware hacker built Orbigator, a transparent globe that rotates to show the International Space Station’s real-time position, inspired by Will Dana’s 2025 ISS-tracking lamp. The device uses a clear globe with an internal mechanism to avoid wiring clutter, and the project is documented with open-source files: 3D-printed parts via OpenSCAD, firmware in MicroPython for the Raspberry Pi Pico 2, and a KiCad PCB design. The work, which includes contributions from Anool Mahidharia, is all available on the project’s GitHub. For folks who want something simpler, a pan-and-tilt security camera can offer a more approachable alternative.