About celestial-node
celestial-node is an MCP server that gives AI assistants real-time space data on stations, launches, Mars, stars, satellites, and more. Its 18 tools make read-only GET requests to data aggregated from space agencies.
Key features
- 01Track ISS and Tiangong positions
- 02Check crew in orbit and rocket launches
- 03Search space news and Mars data
- 04Query the Gaia star catalog
- 05Find near-Earth objects and satellites
Use cases
- 01Check live space station positions
- 02Look up upcoming rocket launches
- 03Explore Mars missions and weather
- 04Find stars, asteroids, or satellites
MCP support
Exposes 18 read-only tools for real-time space data to MCP clients. All tools use GET requests and perform no write operations.
Configuration
Local server config is the same for every client. Copy it into your client’s MCP config file.
npx -y celestialnode-mcpCELESTIAL_NODE_API_KEYSecretOptional API key for higher rate limits (100/day vs 25/hr). Get yours at https://celestialnode.com/registerLocal servers need a runtime on your machine (e.g. Node.js 18+). Config file locations differ by client; see your client’s docs.
Tools
Local servers expose tools only once running on your machine, and the maintainer has not provided a tool list.
Details
From the project README
Celestial Node MCP
An MCP server for real-time space data from Celestial Node.
Gives AI assistants access to 18 read-only tools covering ISS/Tiangong tracking, crew in space, rocket launches, space news, Mars missions, a 1M+ star catalog, near-Earth asteroids, satellites, and more.
About Celestial Node
Celestial Node is a comprehensive space data platform that aggregates real-time information from space agencies worldwide. It offers:
- Space Station Tracking - Real-time positions of the ISS and Tiangong space station
- Crew Information - Current astronauts, cosmonauts, and taikonauts in orbit
- Rocket Launches - Upcoming launches from providers worldwide
- Space News - Curated news from NASA, ESA, CNSA, JAXA, Roscosmos, and ISRO
- Mars Missions - All 18 Mars missions with instruments and discoveries
- Mars Weather - Surface conditions including temperature, pressure, and wind
- Star Catalog - 1M+ stars from the ESA Gaia mission
- Near-Earth Objects - Asteroid tracking and close approaches
- Satellites - Search and track satellites with re-entry predictions
- Space Encyclopedia - Comprehensive database of spacecraft, missions, and engines
Quick Start
Without API Key
Anonymous usage is limited to 25 requests per hour.
Claude Desktop
Add to ~/.config/claude/claude_desktop_config.json:
{
"mcpServers": {
"celestial-node": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "celestialnode-mcp"]
}
}
}
Claude Code
claude mcp add celestial-node -- npx -y celestialnode-mcp
With API Key
Register at celestialnode.com/register for higher rate limits.
Claude Desktop
{
"mcpServers": {
"celestial-node": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "celestialnode-mcp"],
"env": {
"CELESTIAL_NODE_API_KEY": "your-api-key-here"
}
}
}
}
Claude Code
claude mcp add celestial-node --env CELESTIAL_NODE_API_KEY=your-api-key-here -- npx -y celestialnode-mcp
Rate Limits
| Tier | Limit | Authentication |
|---|---|---|
| Anonymous | 25 requests/hour | None |
| Registered (free) | 100 requests/day | API key |
| Paid | 500 requests/day | API key |
Register for a free API key at celestialnode.com/register.
Tools
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
get_iss_position | Real-time ISS position (lat, lon, altitude, velocity) |
get_tiangong_position | Real-time Tiangong station position |
get_crew_in_space | Astronauts/cosmonauts/taikonauts currently in orbit |
get_upcoming_launches | Upcoming rocket launches worldwide |
get_space_news | Curated space news from NASA, ESA, CNSA, JAXA, Roscosmos, ISRO |
get_mars_missions | All 18 Mars missions with instruments and discoveries |
get_mars_rovers | Mars rovers with instruments, discoveries, and status |
get_mars_weather | Mars surface weather (temperature, pressure, wind) |
search_stars | Search 1M+ stars from ESA Gaia catalog |
get_star_details | Full astronomical data for a star by Gaia source ID |
get_constellations | All 88 IAU constellations |
get_near_earth_objects | Upcoming asteroid close approaches |
get_hazardous_asteroids | Potentially hazardous asteroids with orbital data |
get_space_agencies | Space agencies worldwide |
search_encyclopedia | Search space encyclopedia (spacecraft, missions, engines) |
get_satellite_categories | Satellite categories with counts |
search_satellites | Search tracked satellites by name |
get_upcoming_reentries | Predicted satellite/rocket stage re-entries |
Data Sources
All data is served from celestialnode.com which aggregates from NASA, ESA, CNSA, JAXA, Roscosmos, ISRO, SpaceX, and other global space agencies. Data is updated in real-time by background workers.
Security
All 18 tools are read-only GET requests. No write operations, no user data access.
License
MIT
Comments
New to MCP?
From what the protocol is to installing your first server, these answers cover most first questions.
An open protocol that defines how AI applications connect to external tools and data in a uniform way. Clients talk to the model; MCP servers provide tools, resources and prompt templates. They exchange standard messages, so one server can be reused by many clients.