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Send location updates of the ISS every minute to a table in Google BigQuery

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Send location updates of the ISS every minute to a table in Google BigQuery preview
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Important notice

This workflow is provided as-is. Please review and test before using in production.

1. Workflow Overview

This workflow allows you to send position updates of the ISS every minute to a table in Google BigQuery. Cron node: The Cron node will trigger the workflow every ...

Best for

  • Engineering automation workflows
  • beginner n8n builders looking for reusable templates

Tools used

n8n-nodes-base.googlebigquery, n8n-nodes-base.set, n8n-nodes-base.httprequest, n8n-nodes-base.cron

Source and attribution

This workflow is cataloged by N8N Workflows and links back to its original n8n.io source page by Harshil Agrawal.

Original n8n.io source

1.1 Workflow description

Title
Send location updates of the ISS every minute to a table in Google BigQuery
Workflow name
Send location updates of the ISS every minute to a table in Google BigQuery

This workflow allows you to send position updates of the ISS every minute to a table in Google BigQuery.

Cron node: The Cron node will trigger the workflow every minute.

HTTP Request node: This node will make a GET request to the API https://api.wheretheiss.at/v1/satellites/25544/positions to fetch the position of the ISS. This information gets passed on to the next node in the workflow.

Set node: We will use the Set node to ensure that only the data that we set in this node gets passed on to the next nodes in the workflow.

Google BigQuery: This node will send the data from the previous node to the position table in Google BigQuery. If you have created a table with a different name, use that table instead.

1.2 Logical Blocks

This catalog entry is organized from the workflow JSON. The node-level section below shows the executable blocks available for review before importing the template.

2. Block-by-Block Analysis

Block 1 - Google BigQuery

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.googleBigQuery - googleBigQuery
Config choices
Version 1

Block 2 - Set

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.set - set
Config choices
Version 1

Block 3 - HTTP Request

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.httpRequest - httpRequest
Config choices
Version 1

Block 4 - Cron

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.cron - cron
Config choices
Version 1

3. Summary Table

Workflow Send location updates of the ISS every minute to a table in Google BigQuery
Complexity beginner
Nodes 4
Categories Engineering
Author Harshil Agrawal
Published 21 Apr 2021

4. Reproducing the Workflow from Scratch

  1. 1. Download the workflow JSON

    Use the JSON export at /data/workflows/1049/1049.json as the source template for this automation.

  2. 2. Import the template into n8n

    Open n8n, import the downloaded JSON, and review each node before activating the workflow.

  3. 3. Configure credentials and variables

    Replace placeholder credentials, API keys, webhook URLs, account IDs, and environment-specific values with your own settings.

  4. 4. Test with sample data

    Run the workflow manually or in a staging workspace, inspect node output, and confirm downstream systems receive the expected data.

  5. 5. Activate and monitor

    Enable the workflow only after testing, then monitor executions, errors, and rate limits during the first production runs.

5. General Notes & Resources

Review imported nodes carefully before activation. This catalog entry is intended to help you inspect the workflow structure, understand required services, and find related templates faster.

Node names, credentials, schedules, webhook paths, and external service limits may need adjustment for your workspace.

Frequently asked questions

What does Send location updates of the ISS every minute to a table in Google BigQuery do?

This workflow allows you to send position updates of the ISS every minute to a table in Google BigQuery. Cron node: The Cron node will trigger the workflow every ...

What do I need before importing this workflow?

Review the workflow JSON, configure any required credentials in n8n, and test the automation in a safe workspace before using it in production.

Can I customize this workflow?

Yes. Use the block-by-block analysis and the downloadable JSON to inspect each node, then adjust credentials, prompts, schedules, filters, or destinations for your Engineering use case.