Welcome to the NASA API portal. The objective of this site is to make NASA data, including imagery, eminently accessible to application developers. The api.nasa.gov catalog is growing.
Getting Started
Most developers getting started with api.nasa.gov wish to leverage NASA data in their applications and services, and this is encouraged! There are also developers that have existing APIs that they may wish to contribute to the NASA API site. Below describes two paths on how to "use" our APIs as well as "contribute" to our API catalog. First, to get started with using NASA APIs, we recommend applying for an API key, reviewing the Authentication section, then once ready, dive in to API calls.
Live Example
The following live editor allows you to see the APOD API in action!
Get Your API Key
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Authentication
Authentication is in place on api.nasa.gov to enable developers greater access to backend resources. Although api.nasa.gov Web Services can in fact be called without an API key, this introduces limitations related to Rate Limiting of calls. To understand how to use your API key to sign calls, details about Web Service and DEMO_KEY Rate Limits, and viewing current usage, please visit the API Authentication Section on the NASA API Listing page for detailed information.
NASA API Listing
Contributing
Next, why not contribute to api.nasa.gov if you already have excellent data or a Web Service that can benefit the NASA community. Once you have a running service and a robust API in place, submit an API template describing your API and submit to us by either email or GitHub a pull request.
About
We have a new Open Innovation team to continue NASA’s efforts to meet the White House mandate to set our data free – in a format that is useful for you. In doing so, we hope to spark your creative juices and equip you with tools to innovate your world – whether local, global, or interstellar – leveraging our digital assets. We may not be able to offer you the ride-of-your-life on a spaceship (at least for now), but we can certainly work together to solve looming challenges here on Earth – using NASA data, tools, and resources.
We are part of NASA’s Office of the Chief Information Officer, nestled in the Innovation and Digital Services Division under the leadership of the Chief Technology Officer for IT, Deborah Diaz. The Technology and Innovation Division is committed to empowering NASA’s scientists and engineers with the most innovative information technology in the world. This division engages the brightest minds across the Agency to guide NASA’s IT strategy and investment decisions, and to identify emerging IT technologies that can best support NASA’s technology needs in a rapidly changing world. The Division serves as the advanced planning function of the Office of the CIO and tackles policy and organization issues like technology infusion, procurement, and future IT workforce development. The work is organized in four focus areas: 1) Innovation and Digital Services, 2) Data Management and Services, 3) Enterprise Architecture, and 4) Emerging Technology. The Open Innovation team manages the Innovation and Digital Services requirements.