JPL Close Approach vs Open Notify
Same instrument, two spec sheets — measured, not claimed.
JPL Close Approach vs Open Notify: common questions
Which is more reliable, JPL Close Approach or Open Notify?
On our scheduled checks, JPL Close Approach leads on measured uptime — JPL Close Approach at 98.0% versus Open Notify at 71.6% over 90 days. These are our own probe results, not provider claims; the uptime bars above show the day-by-day record for both.
Which is faster, JPL Close Approach or Open Notify?
Open Notify has the lower median latency in our checks — JPL Close Approach responds in 676 ms versus Open Notify at 241 ms (P50). Tail latency (P95) is in the table above; for most workloads the median is the number that shapes how the API feels.
Do JPL Close Approach and Open Notify need an API key?
Neither needs a paid key — JPL Close Approach is callable with no signup, and Open Notify is callable with no signup. Both are quick to prototype with; rate limits still apply.
Can I call JPL Close Approach and Open Notify from the browser?
Neither sends browser-friendly CORS headers reliably, so call JPL Close Approach and Open Notify from a server or proxy rather than client-side. The CORS and HTTPS rows above show exactly what we detected for each.
Are JPL Close Approach and Open Notify free for commercial use?
JPL Close Approach has unclear commercial terms, and Open Notify 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.