As of June 12, 2025, NASA has announced that its Spot the Station website will discontinue providing information about sightings of the International Space Station (ISS). As a result, users will not find any upcoming sighting opportunities on the site, and those who previously subscribed for updates via email or text will no longer receive notifications. Going forward, individuals in need of this information will have to rely on a mobile application available for both iOS and Android devices.
This decision has disappointed many, including [Keith Cowing] from Nasa Watch, particularly in light of the website’s user-friendly design, which made it accessible even to those without smartphones. Although it is often assumed that everyone possesses their own devices, there are many who access the internet through communal spaces, such as internet cafés. For children, a site like this provided a much simpler means of access, and its removal signifies a lost opportunity.
Applications cannot fully replace a dedicated website of this kind, underscoring the troubling trend of an increasingly app-centric internet that can negatively impact users.
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