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GoldBean vs Minor Planet Center

Same instrument, two spec sheets — measured, not claimed.

APIGoldBeanNEW—Minor Planet CenterNEW—
Uptime · 30d
Uptime · 90d—%—%
Uptime · 30d—%—%
P50 · ms——
P95 · ms——
AuthapiKeynone
CORSyesyes
HTTPSyesno
Card requirednono
Commercial useunclearunclear
Data licenseUnverifiedUnverified (data derived from JPL/MPC)
Free tierFree tier — key may be requiredFree — limits not published
Rate limitUnpublishedUnpublished
In directory since2026-07-052026-07-05
operationalpartialdownno data

GoldBean vs Minor Planet Center: common questions

Which is more reliable, GoldBean or Minor Planet Center?

On our scheduled checks, Minor Planet Center leads on measured uptime — GoldBean at —% versus Minor Planet Center at —% over 90 days. These are our own probe results, not provider claims; the uptime bars above show the day-by-day record for both.

Do GoldBean and Minor Planet Center need an API key?

Minor Planet Center needs no key, while GoldBean requires a free API key. If you want to start calling without signup, reach for Minor Planet Center first.

Can I call GoldBean and Minor Planet Center from the browser?

Only GoldBean is browser-friendly — it returns CORS headers over HTTPS. Minor Planet Center needs a server-side call or proxy, so factor that into which one fits a front-end project.

Are GoldBean and Minor Planet Center free for commercial use?

GoldBean has unclear commercial terms, and Minor Planet Center has unclear commercial terms. We track service terms and the data license as separate fields — see the Commercial use and Data license rows above, and confirm both before shipping either in a paid product.