WhatsAbove / Cities / South Dakota / Rapid City
Live planes and satellites over Rapid City, SD
The scope below is live: every trackable aircraft and satellite above Rapid City right now, centered on 44.0805, -103.2310. Click anything for callsign, route, altitude, and more.
Tonight
Visible passes for the next 12 hours — sun-lit satellite, dark sky at your point.
Nearest major airports
With Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA) only 8 miles to the northeast, Rapid City sits directly under active approach and departure paths — expect frequent low-altitude traffic between roughly 2,000 and 8,000 ft, with the direction of flow flipping when the wind changes.
About the sky over Rapid City
Rapid City (South Dakota) has a population of about 73,569 and sits at 44.0805°N, 103.2310°W. Aircraft on this page come from the crowdsourced ADS-B network (coverage over this area depends on volunteer receivers nearby); satellites are computed in your browser from published orbital elements — several hundred are above the local horizon at any moment.
What planes fly over Rapid City?
Most identifiable traffic over Rapid City is tied to Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), 8 miles to the northeast, plus RAP (9 mi) and CDR (86 mi). Add high-altitude cruise traffic passing over on airway routes. The live scope on this page shows each one with callsign, route, and altitude.
How many satellites are above Rapid City right now?
Several hundred cataloged objects are above Rapid City's horizon at any moment — mostly Starlink, plus stations, science payloads, and decades-old relics. Open the SPACE tab on this page for the live, computed count at 44.0805, -103.2310.
Can I see the ISS from Rapid City?
Yes. The ISS passes over South Dakota several times most weeks; visible passes happen when the station is sunlit while the sky over Rapid City is dark — typically 1–3 hours after sunset or before sunrise. The Tonight panel on this page computes exact times, directions, and durations.