name: Space-Track API Rate Limits
description: Space-Track.org enforces rate limits to maintain consistent performance for all users. Limits apply globally and per data class. Users are expected to store data locally and minimize redundant requests.
global:
  - limit: 30
    period: 1 minute
    description: Maximum API requests per minute across all classes
  - limit: 300
    period: 1 hour
    description: Maximum API requests per hour across all classes
per_class:
  - class: gp
    controller: basicspacedata
    description: Current General Perturbations (TLE) data for tracked objects
    limit: 1
    period: 1 hour
    notes: Once every hour for TLE data; users should cache locally
  - class: gp_history
    controller: basicspacedata
    description: Historical ephemerides database (138+ million element sets)
    limit: 1
    period: lifetime
    notes: Full queries should be treated as once-per-lifetime; incremental updates only
  - class: satcat
    controller: basicspacedata
    description: Satellite catalog information
    limit: 1
    period: 1 day
    notes: Once per day after 1700 UTC; store locally and update incrementally
  - class: cdm_public
    controller: basicspacedata
    description: Public conjunction data messages for all events
    limit: 3
    period: 1 day
    notes: 3 requests per day for constellation-wide CDM queries
  - class: cdm
    controller: expandedspacedata
    description: Full conjunction data messages for specific events
    limit: 1
    period: 1 hour
    notes: Once per hour for specific conjunction event queries
  - class: tip
    controller: basicspacedata
    description: Tracking and Impact Prediction messages (reentry)
    limit: 1
    period: 1 hour
    notes: Standard limit; once every 10 minutes when reentry is within 12 hours
  - class: decay
    controller: basicspacedata
    description: 60-day decay predictions
    limit: 1
    period: 1 week
    notes: Once per week for 60-day decay data
  - class: decay_history
    controller: basicspacedata
    description: Historical decay and reentry data
    limit: 1
    period: 1 day
    notes: Once per day for decay history data
policies:
  - Avoid sending hundreds of individual queries; use comma-delimited NORAD catalog IDs to batch requests
  - Store data locally; do not re-download data already retrieved
  - Accounts may be suspended for violating usage policies or degrading site performance
  - Rate limits are enforced per account; cross-process usage is not tracked by client libraries