WhatsAbove / Cities / New Mexico / Rio Rancho
Live planes and satellites over Rio Rancho, NM
The scope below is live: every trackable aircraft and satellite above Rio Rancho right now, centered on 35.2334, -106.6645. 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
Rio Rancho lies about 14 miles north of Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ), which puts it under arrival sequencing and climb-out corridors — most identifiable traffic crosses between 4,000 and 15,000 ft, descending toward or climbing away from the field.
About the sky over Rio Rancho
Rio Rancho (New Mexico) has a population of about 87,521 and sits at 35.2334°N, 106.6645°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 Rio Rancho?
Most identifiable traffic over Rio Rancho is tied to Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ), 14 miles to the south, plus SAF (42 mi) and LVS (90 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 Rio Rancho right now?
Several hundred cataloged objects are above Rio Rancho'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 35.2334, -106.6645.
Can I see the ISS from Rio Rancho?
Yes. The ISS passes over New Mexico several times most weeks; visible passes happen when the station is sunlit while the sky over Rio Rancho is dark — typically 1–3 hours after sunset or before sunrise. The Tonight panel on this page computes exact times, directions, and durations.