🚀 Space Explorer MCP Server

A custom MCP server that connects Kiro to live space data — NASA APIs and real-time ISS tracking. Ask Kiro about astronauts in space, the ISS position, today's asteroid flyby, or NASA's picture of the day.

One-Sentence Summary

A custom MCP server that gives Kiro real-time access to NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day, live ISS tracking coordinates, crew currently in space, near-Earth asteroid data, and ISS visibility predictions.

What It Connects To

API	Data	Free?
Open Notify - People in Space	Astronauts currently in orbit	✅ No key needed
Open Notify - ISS Location	Real-time ISS lat/lon	✅ No key needed
NASA APOD	Astronomy Picture of the Day	✅ Free DEMO_KEY
NASA NeoWs	Near-Earth asteroids today	✅ Free DEMO_KEY

Tools Provided

Tool	Description
get_people_in_space	Who's in space right now? Names + spacecraft
get_iss_location	Real-time ISS coordinates + Google Maps link
get_astronomy_picture	NASA APOD — title, explanation, image URL
get_near_earth_objects	Asteroids passing near Earth today
get_iss_passes	When ISS is visible from your location

Quick Start

# Clone
git clone https://github.com/rajkksns/space-explorer-mcp.git
cd space-explorer-mcp

# Install
npm install

# Test (runs the server in stdio mode)
echo '{"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":1,"method":"initialize","params":{"protocolVersion":"2024-11-05","capabilities":{},"clientInfo":{"name":"test","version":"1.0.0"}}}' | node server.js

Configure in Kiro

Add to your Kiro MCP settings (.kiro/settings.json or user MCP config):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "space-explorer": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["/absolute/path/to/space-explorer-mcp/server.js"],
      "env": {
        "NASA_API_KEY": "DEMO_KEY"
      }
    }
  }
}

Then in Kiro chat, ask:

• "Who is currently in space?"
• "Where is the ISS right now?"
• "Show me today's astronomy picture"
• "Are there any asteroids near Earth today?"
• "Can I see the ISS from Coimbatore tonight?"

Environment Variables

NASA_API_KEY=DEMO_KEY    # Optional. Get a free key at https://api.nasa.gov/

The server works with DEMO_KEY (rate limited to 30 requests/hour). For unlimited access, register for a free NASA API key.

What This Enables

Without this MCP server, Kiro has no access to:

• Live astronaut crew data that changes with every mission
• Real-time ISS position (updates every second)
• Daily rotating NASA imagery with scientific explanations
• Live asteroid tracking data

With this server, Kiro becomes a space-aware assistant that can answer questions about what's happening in space right now — not from training data, but from live APIs.

Demo

Video Demo

Project Built With This Integration

Using the MCP tools, I asked Kiro to generate a "Space Status Dashboard" — a single HTML page that shows:

1. Astronauts currently in space (from get_people_in_space)
2. ISS live position on a map (from get_iss_location)
3. Today's APOD image (from get_astronomy_picture)
4. Nearby asteroids (from get_near_earth_objects)

This dashboard could only be built because the MCP server provides Kiro with live data it doesn't have access to otherwise.

Tech Stack

• Runtime: Node.js
• Protocol: MCP SDK (@modelcontextprotocol/sdk)
• Transport: stdio (local MCP server)
• APIs: NASA Open APIs + Open Notify
• Auth: NASA DEMO_KEY (free, no signup needed)

#BuildWithKiro #TeamKiro