# NASA MCP for AI Agents AI Agent Connect > NASA MCP lets your AI agent pull real-time space data directly from NASA's official APIs. You can grab the Astronomy Picture of the Day, browse Mars rover photos from Curiosity and Perseverance, track near-Earth objects like asteroids, and even search NASA's massive library of images and patents. It turns your agent into a space science assistant without you having to hunt through different government websites. ## Overview - **Category:** the-unthinkable - **Price:** Free - **Endpoint:** https://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_CSNxsnzKlImzm012O4oE0kbi1oTSVq815mcFt4a2/ai-agent-connect - **Tags:** astronomy, space-exploration, satellite-imagery, planetary-science, mars-rover ## Description Stop jumping between tabs to find specific satellite imagery or trying to piece together rover data from different sources. This Connector connects your AI client directly to NASA's data feeds, making it your personal space science assistant. Instead of manually searching for a specific Mars sol or trying to find a historical image of a nebula, you just ask your agent to go get it. It handles the heavy lifting of navigating the various APIs to pull back exactly what you need, whether that's tracking the trajectory of a potentially hazardous asteroid or finding a specific technology license. You'll find it's a lot easier to build a presentation or do research when the data is just one prompt away. Getting this into your workflow via Vinkius makes it simple to keep your space data current and accessible without the usual friction of manual API calls or site navigation. It's about getting the facts faster so you can focus on the actual science or education. ## Tools ### search_nasa_library Queries the full NASA media library using free-text search for images and video. It's a massive repository for media assets. ### get_apod Fetches the Astronomy Picture of the Day for a specific date or a random set. It's great for grabbing high-quality space visuals. ### get_mars_rovers Provides status and photo history for active Mars rovers. Use this to see which rovers are currently active. ### get_neo_feed Tracks near-Earth objects including diameter, velocity, and hazard status. It's ideal for monitoring asteroid activity. ### get_tech_transfer Finds NASA technology transfer descriptions and contact info for licensing. This is useful for finding commercial tech. ### get_epic_images Retrieves Earth Polychromatic Imaging Camera images with optional color enhancement. Use this for full-disk Earth views. ### get_earth_imagery Pulls Landsat 8 satellite imagery for specific geographic coordinates and dates. It's perfect for tracking land changes. ### get_mars_photos Browses photos from various Mars rovers filtered by date and camera type. This helps you see specific rover missions. ### search_patents Searches NASA's patent database for titles, abstracts, and licensing availability. This helps with technology research. ## Prompt Examples **Prompt:** ``` Show me the Astronomy Picture of the Day for today. ``` **Response:** ``` ### Today's Astronomy Picture of the Day **Title:** Pillars of Creation Revisited **Date:** 2024-05-20 **Explanation:** A stunning new infrared image of the Eagle Nebula's iconic star-forming columns. The image reveals previously hidden protostars and dust structures. **Media URL:** [https://example.nasa.gov/apod/image.jpg](https://example.nasa.gov/apod/image.jpg) ``` **Prompt:** ``` Are there any potentially hazardous asteroids approaching Earth this week? ``` **Response:** ``` ### Near-Earth Object (NEO) Report Over the next 7 days, NASA is tracking **18** near-Earth objects. * **Potentially Hazardous:** 2 * **Largest Object:** ~340 meters in diameter (2024 AB1) * **Closest Pass:** Wednesday (4.2 lunar distances) No impact threats are currently known. ``` **Prompt:** ``` Find me some NASA patents related to solar energy. ``` **Response:** ``` ### NASA Patent Search Results I found several patents related to solar energy and technology transfer: | Patent Number | Title | Licensing Status | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | US-1234567 | High-Efficiency Photovoltaic Cell | Available | | US-7654321 | Concentrated Solar Thermal Storage | Contact for Info | Would you like more details on any of these? ``` ## Capabilities ### Pull Astronomy Picture of the Day Get today's or historical space images with full descriptions. ### Browse Mars Rover Photos Filter photos from Curiosity, Perseverance, Opportunity, and Spirit by date and camera type. ### Retrieve Earth Satellite Imagery Get Landsat 8 images for specific coordinates and dates. ### Access EPIC Earth Images View full-disk images from the DSCOVR satellite. ### Track Near-Earth Objects Get data on asteroid diameters, velocities, and hazard ratings. ### Search NASA Media Library Query the massive collection of NASA images, videos, and audio. ### Find NASA Patents Search for technology transfer opportunities and available licenses. ## Use Cases ### Building a classroom presentation An educator asks for 'Mars rover photos from 2023' to find visuals for a lesson on planetary exploration. ### Tracking space hazards A hobbyist asks 'Are there any hazardous asteroids approaching Earth this week?' to get a summary of near-Earth objects. ### Sourcing commercial tech A developer searches for 'NASA patents related to water filtration' to find licensing opportunities. ### Mapping environmental change A researcher asks for 'Landsat 8 imagery of the Amazon from 2015' to compare historical land use. ## Benefits - No more manual site navigation. Use `get_apod` or `get_mars_photos` to get visuals instantly without clicking through multiple government portals. - Precise geographic tracking. Use `get_earth_imagery` to see how specific locations on Earth have changed over time using Landsat 8 data. - Real-time asteroid tracking. Use `get_neo_feed` to monitor near-Earth objects and check for potentially hazardous threats in seconds. - Faster research for tech. Use `search_patents` and `get_tech_transfer` to identify licensing opportunities without digging through archives. - Instant media access. Use `search_nasa_library` to find specific videos or images for your project using natural language queries. ## How It Works The bottom line is you get instant access to official NASA data through a single chat interface. 1. Subscribe to the NASA MCP on Vinkius. 2. Grab a free API key from api.nasa.gov and add it to your configuration. 3. Ask your agent to fetch Mars photos, search for patents, or track asteroids. ## Frequently Asked Questions **What can the NASA MCP do for my research?** It pulls official data like patents, satellite imagery, and rover photos into your chat. This saves you from having to navigate multiple different government websites to find the same information. **Can I use this to see Mars rover photos?** Yes, you can browse images from several different rovers by date and camera type. It's a great way to see exactly what Curiosity or Perseverance saw on a specific day. **Does this Connector include Earth satellite data?** It gives you access to Landsat 8 imagery for specific geographic coordinates. You can see how locations on Earth have changed over time by querying specific dates. **How do I find NASA patents?** You can search the official patent database for titles, abstracts, and licensing information. It's perfect for finding specific technologies available for commercial use. **Can I get the Astronomy Picture of the Day?** Yes, it can fetch today's image or any historical one you specify. It provides the image URL, title, and a full explanation of what you're looking at. **Is there a way to track near-Earth objects?** It pulls a feed of asteroids, including their size, velocity, and hazard ratings. This helps you stay informed about space awareness and planetary defense. **How do I get a NASA API key?** Visit [**api.nasa.gov**](https://api.nasa.gov) and sign up with your email — it's completely free. You'll receive an API key instantly. For quick testing, you can use `DEMO_KEY` which allows 30 requests/hour and 50/day. Registered keys get 1,000 requests/hour. **Can I get Mars rover photos from today?** Mars rovers don't take photos every Earth day due to communication delays and mission schedules. Use `get_mars_photos` with rover name 'curiosity' or 'perseverance' and an earth_date parameter. If no photos exist for that date, the API returns an empty list. Try recent dates or browse available dates with `get_mars_rovers`. **What are Near-Earth Objects (NEOs)?** NEOs are asteroids and comets whose orbits bring them close to Earth. NASA tracks them for planetary defense. Use `get_neo_feed` to see asteroid counts and data over a date range. Each NEO includes estimated diameter, velocity, miss distance, and whether it's classified as 'potentially hazardous'. **Can I search NASA's image library?** Yes! Use `search_nasa_library` with a free-text query (e.g. 'Apollo 11', 'Mars', 'ISS', 'Hubble'). It searches thousands of images, videos and audio files. Results include title, description, NASA center, media type and URL. Optionally set page number for pagination.