Next Rocket Launch Tracker

Next Rocket Launch Tracker adds a [nextrlt_next_launch] shortcode that displays upcoming rocket launches, pulled from The Space Devs’ free Launch Library 2 API. Point it at any launch site (or all of them), pick how much detail to show, and drop it into a post, page, or widget area.

Features

• [nextrlt_next_launch] shortcode with attributes for location, launch count, layout, color theme, and which fields to show (image, countdown, provider, pad, orbit, status, description).
• Three layouts (card, list, compact), each with an optional slider mode that shows one launch at a time with prev/next arrows.
• Optional light or dark color theme that forces a matching card background, independent of the surrounding page or the visitor’s OS preference.
• A visual Shortcode Builder screen (Settings > Next Rocket Launch Tracker Builder) with toggle switches, dropdowns, and a live-updating shortcode preview you can copy with one click.
• A searchable, multi-select location picker backed by the live API, pre-populated with the most active launch sites.
• An Elementor widget (search for “Next Rocket Launch Tracker” in the widget panel) with the same options as the shortcode, for sites that build pages with Elementor.
• Launches never call the API during a normal page view: a WP-Cron job refreshes a cached copy on a schedule you control, and the last good response is served if the API is ever unreachable or rate-limited.
• Automatically filters out launches the upstream API still lists as “upcoming” moments after they’ve already flown.

Where the data comes from

Launch data is provided by The Space Devs’ Launch Library 2 API, a free, public, community-funded API. This plugin is not affiliated with The Space Devs. See “External services” below for what this plugin sends and when.

External services

This plugin connects to The Space Devs’ Launch Library 2 API to retrieve upcoming launch data and launch-site names.

• Service: The Space Devs Launch Library 2 (https://ll.thespacedevs.com), or https://lldev.thespacedevs.com if the “development endpoint” option is turned on in Settings > Next Rocket Launch Tracker.
• What is sent: only the numeric launch-location IDs configured in the shortcode/settings, and any text an administrator types into the location search box on the Settings or Shortcode Builder screens. No visitor data, personal information, or site content is ever transmitted.
• When it’s sent: on a background WP-Cron schedule (hourly by default, configurable) to refresh the cached launch list, and on-demand when an administrator uses the location search. The API is never called while a visitor is viewing a page.
• Terms of Service: github.com/TheSpaceDevs/Tutorials. Review their terms before relying on this plugin for a production site; the API is funded through Patreon and a credit link is appreciated.
• Privacy Policy: thespacedevs.com/privacy

Development

Found a bug or want to contribute? The source is on GitHub: github.com/CatHerderCam/Next-Rocket-Launch-Tracker.