MCP TypeScript NASA Server

You can run a TypeScript MCP server that exposes NASA data through a clean, type-safe interface. This server lets you query APOD, Mars rover photos, near-Earth objects, space weather, and Earth imagery, and it can be used with MCP clients like Claude Desktop to build AI-assisted workflows around space data.

How to use

Start the MCP server locally and connect to it from your MCP client. You can access NASA data through five tools, use URI-based resources for static or dynamic data, and apply pre-built prompts for education and analysis. Use the client to request APOD images, Mars rover photos, NEO data, DONKI space weather events, and EPIC Earth imagery. You can also read resources such as nasa://config or nasa://apod/{date} to fetch data directly via URIs.

How to install

Prerequisites: ensure you have Node.js and npm installed on your machine. You should also have a NASA API key to access the NASA endpoints.

Choose one of the following installation methods.

Option 1: Run with NPX (recommended for quick start).

Option 2: Install globally on your system.

Option 3: Install as a project dependency and run locally.

# NPX Quick Start
npx mcp-ts-stdio-nasa

# Global installation
npm install -g mcp-ts-stdio-nasa
mcp-ts-stdio-nasa

# Local project installation
npm install mcp-ts-stdio-nasa
npx mcp-ts-stdio-nasa

Configuration and usage notes

Configure your MCP client to connect to the NASA MCP server. You can participate in a simple local setup by using NPX and providing your NASA API key via environment variables. A typical local run uses a CLI entry that launches the server process and sets NASA_API_KEY.

Configuration for Claude Desktop and environment variables

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "nasa": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["mcp-ts-stdio-nasa"],
      "env": {
        "NASA_API_KEY": "your_api_key_here"
      }
    }
  }
}

Environment variables to set

Create a .env file in your project root to supply configuration details. Use a real NASA API key or the DEMO_KEY for testing. You can enable or disable debug logging as needed.

# NASA API Configuration
NASA_API_KEY=your_api_key_here  # Get from https://api.nasa.gov/
# Use "DEMO_KEY" for testing with rate limits

# Optional
DEBUG=false  # Enable debug logging

NASA data resources and prompts

Access NASA data directly through resources and use pre-built prompts for common tasks. Examples include reading static or dynamic NASA resources and using educational prompts to explain APOD images or perform space weather analyses.

Available tools

nasa_apod

Fetch NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day, with optional date parameter to retrieve a specific image and explanation.

nasa_mars_rover_photos

Retrieve photos from Mars rovers (Curiosity, Opportunity, Spirit, Perseverance) with options for rover, sol, earth_date, camera, and limit.

nasa_neo_feed

Track Near-Earth Objects, with start_date and end_date to query potentially hazardous objects or any close approaches.

nasa_donki_space_weather

Monitor space weather events such as solar flares and coronal mass ejections by type and date range.

nasa_epic_earth_imagery

Get full-disc Earth imagery from the DSCOVR satellite with optional date and image type.