shipapis
StarSubmit an APISubmit API

Minor Planet Center vs Satellite Passes

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

APIMinor Planet CenterHEALTHY97Satellite PassesHEALTHY84
Uptime · 30d
Uptime · 90d99.02%99.02%
Uptime · 30d98.3%98.3%
P50 · ms217976
P95 · ms13373243
Authnonenone
CORSyesyes
HTTPSnoyes
Card requirednono
Commercial useunclearunclear
Data licenseUnverified (data derived from JPL/MPC)Unverified
Free tierFree — limits not publishedFree — limits not published
Rate limitUnpublishedUnpublished
In directory since2026-07-052026-07-05
operationalpartialdownno data

Minor Planet Center vs Satellite Passes: common questions

Which is more reliable, Minor Planet Center or Satellite Passes?

Both are neck-and-neck — Minor Planet Center and Satellite Passes each measure 99.02% uptime over 90 days on our probe schedule. Reliability here is verified from our own scheduled checks; use the 30-day bars above to see which has been steadier lately.

Which is faster, Minor Planet Center or Satellite Passes?

Minor Planet Center has the lower median latency in our checks — Minor Planet Center responds in 217 ms versus Satellite Passes at 976 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 Minor Planet Center and Satellite Passes need an API key?

Neither needs a paid key — Minor Planet Center is callable with no signup, and Satellite Passes is callable with no signup. Both are quick to prototype with; rate limits still apply.

Can I call Minor Planet Center and Satellite Passes from the browser?

Only Satellite Passes 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 Minor Planet Center and Satellite Passes free for commercial use?

Minor Planet Center has unclear commercial terms, and Satellite Passes 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.