International Space Station Tracker

LVGL Image Converter

ESP32 Cheap Yellow Display 2.8" Resistive Touch

Arduino IDE

<html><body>SpaceStationTracker is an application that displays the current position of the International Space Station on a 2D world map. It runs on a ESP32-2432S028R ILI9341 device with a 2.8" screen, commonly known as the CYD "Cheap Yellow Display", which costs $20 or less. The code was written using Arduino IDE / ESP32 development environment in c++. I labeled the project as "easy", because all you have to do is download the code (linked on Github), put it in your Arduino project folder, download the required libraries in the Arduino IDE, and upload to the CYD. <figure><img src="https://projects.arduinocontent.cc/e4184b90-dd77-43fc-9fb9-c17529b33fbb.jpg"/><figcaption>SpaceStationTracker running on the ESP32 CYD Cheap Yellow Display</figcaption></figure>I used this project to learn programming for ESP32/Arduino/CYD. It includes topics such as graphics using LVGL, wifi connection, getting information from a restful API, parsing json data, and touchscreen interaction. This would make a great space related STEM classroom project. Enclosure/frame for the CYD is not included in the project files, so this is where you get to be creative! There are many 3D printed cases available for the CYD (search "esp32 cyd 3d printed case"), or you can do some woodworking as shown in the picture (a simple, thin frame that wraps around the CYD screen, held in place with duct tape). As of the time of writing, the end of life for the ISS is slated for 2030. This code could be repurposed for other orbiting space objects via a different API. Detailed instruction are included on the Github Project page, but I'll repeat them here: <h3>Hardware Info</h3>I bought my CYD from this link on [Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CG2WQGP9) for less than $20, but many places sell them. Keep in mind there are several variations that can be called a CYD. Make sure it is the resistive touch (as opposed to capacitive touch), and 2.8 inch screen, otherwise this code will not work. The designator for this model is "ESP32-2432S028R" Some versions have a micro USB, and some have both a micro USB and USB C. Either USB should work, but keep in mind when getting a cable. I liked the above package from that particular Amazon seller, because it came with a USB micro cable and case for the board. This is a great article on [Random Nerd Tutorials](https://randomnerdtutorials.com/cheap-yellow-display-esp32-2432s028r/) to get you started with the CYD. There is not a specific case for this project, but there are many 3D printed cases available for the CYD. Choose one that suits your needs, here are some [examples](https://www.printables.com/tag/cyd). Be aware of the differences in the printable models if you want to use the micro USB vs. the USB C cable. <h3>How to compile:</h3>1. Configure Arduino IDE a. For "esp32" board with a device type of "ESP32 Dev Module" b. Set "Tools -&gt; Partition Scheme" to "Huge App (3MB No OTA/1MB SPIFFS)" 2. Install the libraries below in Arduino IDE 3. You can copy the entire SpaceStationTracker repository into ~/Documents/Arduino/ a. User_Setup.h file for TFT_eSPI needs to be placed (overwrite to) the TFT_eSPI folder in ~/Documents/Arduino/libraries b. lv_conf.h file for LVGL needs to be placed in ~/Documents/Arduino/libraries/lvgl/src 4. Plug in your CYD over USB to your computer, connect in the Arduino IDE, and compile and upload the SpaceStationTracker code using the Arduino IDE. To reset the CYD to get ready for install, you may need to hold the BOOT button, then press and release the RESET button, and then release the BOOT button. These are the small white buttons located on the back of the CYD board. They are labeled "RST" and BOOT". <h3>Required Libraries:</h3>- ArduinoJson 7.4.1 - HttpClient 2.2.0 - lvgl 9.2.2 - RTClib 2.1.4 - TFT_eSPI 2.5.43_ - WifiManager 2.0.17 - XPT2046_Touchscreen 1.4 <h3>Acknowledgements</h3>- Thanks to [WhereTheISS.at](https://wheretheiss.at/w/developer) for the cool API! - ISS icon was resized from the ISS icon found on the [NASA Website](https://science.nasa.gov/multimedia/spacecraft-icons/) - Background worldmap was generated using [Basemap](https://matplotlib.org/basemap/stable/) (NASA Bluemarble, Mercator Projection) - Much info was gathered from [Random Nerd Tutorials for CYD](https://randomnerdtutorials.com/cheap-yellow-display-esp32-2432s028r/) - Another really cool CYD app was used as a reference for Wifi login and splashscreen: [Aura](https://github.com/Surrey-Homeware/Aura) - The background worldmap and ISS icon were converted to c code using the [LVGL Image Converter](https://lvgl.io/tools/imageconverter) </body></html>

International Space Station Tracker

Real-Time tracking and display of the International Space Station over WiFi. Uses an ESP32 Cheap Yellow Display ($20).