How to Use the NASA MCP in VS Code Copilot

Q: Can VS Code Copilot fetch Earth imagery based on coordinates?

Yes. VS Code Copilot can call the getearthimagery tool with latitude and longitude inputs. This returns direct image URLs and metadata for your active workspace.

Q: Does this NASA MCP integration support asteroid tracking in VS Code Copilot?

Yes. You can ask VS Code Copilot to run getneofeed to pull asteroid tracking data. It returns sizes, velocities, and hazard ratings for any seven-day window.

Q: Can I search the NASA media library using VS Code Copilot?

Yes. Use the searchnasalibrary tool inside VS Code Copilot to query images and videos. The tool returns direct asset links that you can insert into your code.

Access live space data, Earth coordinates, and Mars rover telemetry inside VS Code Copilot.

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Connect NASA MCP to VS Code Copilot

Create your Vinkius account to connect NASA to VS Code Copilot and route execution through our secure gateway. The platform manages server hosting, runtime updates, and security layers. Configuration requires no manual server provisioning.

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Setup NASA with VS Code Copilot

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Share space data tools across VS Code Copilot teams

Commit your MCP configuration to git so everyone on your team has instant access to `get_neo_feed` inside VS Code Copilot. Developers can query asteroid feeds and planetary defense data without configuring individual API endpoints. This shared configuration makes it easy to collaborate on space-science projects. Your team can run queries and verify data structures using the same live endpoints.

Pull Earth and Mars imagery into your workspace

Test geographic apps by passing coordinates to `get_earth_imagery` directly from VS Code Copilot. The tool pulls real satellite imagery into your chat, making it easy to verify coordinate logic on the fly. You can also check rover statuses using `get_mars_rovers` or pull specific planetary shots with `get_mars_photos`. Copilot handles the payload parsing, letting you focus on writing the actual display logic.

Search patents and media archives in your editor

Research commercial hardware designs by querying `search_patents` and `get_tech_transfer` inside VS Code Copilot. It brings NASA licensing details and technical abstracts straight into your active coding file. If your project needs visual assets, run `search_nasa_library` to find media URLs. Your agent can quickly insert these real asset links into your configuration files or markdown docs.

Setup guide

Set up NASA MCP in VS Code Copilot

Prerequisites

VS Code 1.99 or later with GitHub Copilot extension
Active Vinkius subscription with a valid endpoint token

1

Open MCP configuration

Open the Command Palette (Cmd+Shift+P / Ctrl+Shift+P) and run "MCP: Add Server". Select HTTP (Streamable) as the server type. VS Code will create .vscode/mcp.json in your workspace.
2

Add the NASA MCP

Paste the JSON snippet shown on the right into your .vscode/mcp.json. Replace [YOUR_TOKEN_HERE] with your endpoint token from cloud.vinkius.com.
3

Switch to Agent mode

Open Copilot Chat (Cmd+Shift+I / Ctrl+Shift+I) and switch to Agent mode using the dropdown. MCP tools are only available in Agent mode — they do not appear in Edit or Ask modes.
4

Verify the connection

In the Copilot Chat input, type # to list available tools. You should see the NASA tools listed. Try asking: "List my recent NASA transactions" and Copilot will invoke them automatically.

.vscode/mcp.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "nasa-mcp": {
      "url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/[YOUR_TOKEN_HERE]/mcp"
    }
  }
}

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Independent Platform Disclaimer: Vinkius is an independent platform and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, verified by, or otherwise authorized by NASA. All third-party trademarks, logos, and brand names are the property of their respective owners. Their use on this website is strictly for informational purposes to identify service compatibility and interoperability.

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Common questions about NASA MCP in VS Code Copilot

Create a .vscode/mcp.json file in your project root and commit it to your repository. Once committed, any teammate using VS Code Copilot can access tools like APOD or Mars photo search.

Yes. VS Code Copilot can call the `get_earth_imagery` tool with latitude and longitude inputs. This returns direct image URLs and metadata for your active workspace.

Yes. You can ask VS Code Copilot to run `get_neo_feed` to pull asteroid tracking data. It returns sizes, velocities, and hazard ratings for any seven-day window.

Yes. Use the `search_nasa_library` tool inside VS Code Copilot to query images and videos. The tool returns direct asset links that you can insert into your code.

Your spatial coordinates and patent keywords are sent directly to NASA's public endpoints via an ephemeral network tunnel. No data is stored, cached, or used for model training, meeting enterprise compliance standards.

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