Can I see photos from the Curiosity rover?

Yes! Use the `get_mars_rover_photos` tool and set the `rover` parameter to 'curiosity'. You'll also need to provide a specific earth date.

How do I know if an asteroid is dangerous?

The `get_near_earth_objects` tool returns a list of asteroids. For each object, the `is_potentially_hazardous_asteroid` field will tell you if NASA has classified it as a potential threat.

Does this provide real-time space images?

The images are updated as soon as they are processed and published by NASA. For example, APOD is updated daily, and rover photos are uploaded as they are received from the Martian surface.

NASA Open Data MCP Server for Google ADK 8 tools — connect in under 2 minutes

Name: NASA Open Data
Availability: InStock
Author: Vinkius

google.github.io/adk-docs/tools/mcp-tools

Built by Vinkius GDPR 8 Tools SDK

Google Agent Development Kit (ADK) is Google's framework for building production AI agents. Add NASA Open Data as an MCP tool provider through Vinkius and your ADK agents can call every tool with full schema introspection.

Get MCP Server for AI Agents

ASK AI ABOUT THIS MCP SERVER

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Vinkius supports streamable HTTP and SSE.

python

from google.adk.agents import Agent
from google.adk.tools.mcp_tool import McpToolset
from google.adk.tools.mcp_tool.mcp_session_manager import (
    StreamableHTTPConnectionParams,
)

# Your Vinkius token. get it at cloud.vinkius.com
mcp_tools = McpToolset(
    connection_params=StreamableHTTPConnectionParams(
        url="https://edge.vinkius.com/[YOUR_TOKEN_HERE]/mcp",
    )
)

agent = Agent(
    model="gemini-2.5-pro",
    name="nasa_open_data_agent",
    instruction=(
        "You help users interact with NASA Open Data "
        "using 8 available tools."
    ),
    tools=[mcp_tools],
)

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Stream every event to Splunk, Datadog, or your own webhook in real-time

* Every MCP server runs on Vinkius-managed infrastructure inside AWS - a purpose-built runtime with per-request V8 isolates, Ed25519 signed audit chains, and sub-40ms cold starts optimized for native MCP execution. See our infrastructure

About NASA Open Data MCP Server

Equip your AI agent with the wonders of the universe through the NASA Open Data MCP server. This integration provides real-time access to official NASA databases, including the Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD), high-resolution imagery from Mars Rovers (Curiosity, Opportunity, Spirit), and the Near Earth Object (NEO) feed for tracking asteroids. Whether you are an astronomy enthusiast, a space researcher, or an educator, your agent acts as a dedicated space science mission specialist through natural conversation.

Google ADK natively supports NASA Open Data as an MCP tool provider. declare Vinkius Edge URL and the framework handles discovery, validation, and execution automatically. Combine 8 tools with Gemini's long-context reasoning for complex multi-tool workflows, with production-ready session management and evaluation built in.

What you can do

Astronomy Discovery — Retrieve the daily astronomy picture and its detailed scientific explanation.
Planetary Imaging — Access real-time photos from Mars and monitor Earth via the DSCOVR EPIC instrument.
Solar Weather Intelligence — Track Coronal Mass Ejections (CME) and Solar Flares from the Space Weather Database.
Asteroid Tracking — Monitor Near Earth Objects, track specific asteroids by ID, and review potential Earth impact risks.
Space Auditing — Summarize complex astronomical findings and historical space mission data.

The NASA Open Data MCP Server exposes 8 tools through the Vinkius. Connect it to Google ADK in under two minutes — no API keys to rotate, no infrastructure to provision, no vendor lock-in. Your configuration, your data, your control.

How to Connect NASA Open Data to Google ADK via MCP

Follow these steps to integrate the NASA Open Data MCP Server with Google ADK.

Install Google ADK

Run pip install google-adk

Replace the token

Replace [YOUR_TOKEN_HERE] with your Vinkius token

Create the agent

Save the code above and integrate into your ADK workflow

Explore tools

The agent will discover 8 tools from NASA Open Data via MCP

Why Use Google ADK with the NASA Open Data MCP Server

Google ADK provides unique advantages when paired with NASA Open Data through the Model Context Protocol.

Google ADK natively supports MCP tool servers. declare a tool provider and the framework handles discovery, validation, and execution

Built on Gemini models, ADK provides long-context reasoning ideal for complex multi-tool workflows with NASA Open Data

Production-ready features like session management, evaluation, and deployment come built-in. not bolted on

Seamless integration with Google Cloud services means you can combine NASA Open Data tools with BigQuery, Vertex AI, and Cloud Functions

NASA Open Data + Google ADK Use Cases

Practical scenarios where Google ADK combined with the NASA Open Data MCP Server delivers measurable value.

Enterprise data agents: ADK agents query NASA Open Data and cross-reference results with internal databases for comprehensive analysis

Multi-modal workflows: combine NASA Open Data tool responses with Gemini's vision and language capabilities in a single agent

Automated compliance checks: schedule ADK agents to query NASA Open Data regularly and flag policy violations or configuration drift

Internal tool platforms: build self-service agent platforms where teams connect their own MCP servers including NASA Open Data

NASA Open Data MCP Tools for Google ADK (8)

These 8 tools become available when you connect NASA Open Data to Google ADK via MCP:

get_astronomy_picture

Get the NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD)

get_coronal_mass_ejections

Get records of Coronal Mass Ejections (CME) from the Space Weather Database

get_earth_polychromatic_images

Get Earth Polychromatic Imaging Camera (EPIC) images

get_mars_rover_manifest

Get the mission manifest and photo details for a Mars Rover

get_mars_rover_photos

Get photos from Mars rovers (Curiosity, Opportunity, Spirit)

get_near_earth_objects_feed

Get a list of Near Earth Objects (asteroids) for a specific date range

get_solar_flares

Get records of Solar Flares from the Space Weather Database

lookup_asteroid

Lookup details for a specific Near Earth Object (Asteroid)

Example Prompts for NASA Open Data in Google ADK

Ready-to-use prompts you can give your Google ADK agent to start working with NASA Open Data immediately.

"Show me today's NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day."

"Get photos from the Curiosity rover on Earth date 2023-05-15."

"Are there any potentially hazardous asteroids approaching Earth this week?"

Troubleshooting NASA Open Data MCP Server with Google ADK

Common issues when connecting NASA Open Data to Google ADK through the Vinkius, and how to resolve them.

McpToolset not found

Update: pip install --upgrade google-adk

NASA Open Data + Google ADK FAQ

Common questions about integrating NASA Open Data MCP Server with Google ADK.

How does Google ADK connect to MCP servers?

Import the MCP toolset class and pass the server URL. ADK discovers and registers all tools automatically, making them available to your agent's tool-use loop.

Can ADK agents use multiple MCP servers?

Yes. Declare multiple MCP tool providers in your agent configuration. ADK merges all tool schemas and the agent can call tools from any server in a single turn.

Which Gemini models work best with MCP tools?

Gemini 2.0 Flash and Pro models both support function calling required for MCP tools. Flash is recommended for latency-sensitive use cases, Pro for complex reasoning.