Real-Time Rocket Launch Countdown Console

Ever since I was a kid, I’ve been fascinated by the sheer power of rocket launches. There’s something about a countdown that brings the world together. However, I noticed that unless you're constantly checking NASA or ISRO’s Twitter feeds, it’s easy to miss a launch.

I decided to build a Rocket Launch Countdown Console for the Visualize It contest. This isn’t just a static display; it’s a real-time, data-driven GUI that tracks live missions across the globe, provides detailed mission specs, and even lets you visualize the launch site on a map.

To build this, you’ll need:

1. Raspberry pi 5 with Debian Bookworm OS installed
2. 10" Waveshare Touch Display/Monitor for Pi
3. Python 3.10 installed
4. Libraries: Tkinter (for the GUI), requests (to fetch data)
5. API Access: I used the Rocketlaunch API to get real-time launch data.

(Connection image was taken as a reference from Waveshare website no copyright infringement was intended)

The goal was to create a "Command Center" feel. I wanted three main layers of visualization:

1. The Overview: A scrolling view of all upcoming global missions.
2. The Details: Deep-dive specs (Provider, Vehicle, Launch Pad).
3. The Geography: Integrating Google Maps so you can see exactly where on Earth the rocket is standing.

I spent a lot of time mapping out the UI so that it didn't feel cluttered but still provided all the vital "T-minus" information at a glance.

The "heart" of this project is the data. Using Python’s requests library, the console pings the space API to get the most recent launch schedule.

Rocketlaunch is a website made for rocket lovers, this displays upcoming rocket launch schedule. It also provides API to integrate launch details in our own application.

One challenge I faced was time zones. Rocket launches are usually listed in UTC, but to make it useful, I had to ensure the console could display the launch in the user's local time (IST in my demo video).

I used Tkinter to build the interface. Each launch is housed in its own "card." I used color coding to separate different missions—for example, the BlueBird 6 mission from India and the Obzor-R mission from Russia. This makes the data much easier to process visually than a standard text list.

Visualization shouldn't just be numbers; it should be spatial. By clicking "View Details," a secondary window opens.

The coolest feature (in my opinion) is the "View Launch Location on Map" button. This uses the webbrowser module to take the location from the API and open them directly in a browser.

1. Download the source code below.
2. Install the requirements:

1. Run the script:

1. GUI Application will be launched in the console.

For the demo, I captured the Bluebird-6 rocket launch. It marks a milestone in ISRO's history, as it is the heaviest commercial rocket launched by India. It will be used for cellular communication through satellite, so that even remote areas can benefit from better coverage.

Even school children were brought to see the rocket launch at a safe distance from a stadium. The Rocket was launched successfully without any technical glitches. I am glad I was able to capture the launch on time.

As a little "extra credit" for the visualization, I included a landing animation. In the demo video, you can see the rocket descending onto Mars with a final countdown.

While the console tracks real Earth launches, this animation represents the ultimate goal of these missions: landing on other worlds. (I even added a little UFO cameo at the end just for fun!)