Shields vs Spaceflight News
Same instrument, two spec sheets — measured, not claimed.
Shields vs Spaceflight News: common questions
Which is more reliable, Shields or Spaceflight News?
On our scheduled checks, Shields leads on measured uptime — Shields at 100% versus Spaceflight News at 95.1% 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, Shields or Spaceflight News?
Shields has the lower median latency in our checks — Shields responds in 30 ms versus Spaceflight News at 864 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 Shields and Spaceflight News need an API key?
Neither needs a paid key — Shields is callable with no signup, and Spaceflight News is callable with no signup. Both are quick to prototype with; rate limits still apply.
Can I call Shields and Spaceflight News from the browser?
Yes — both Shields and Spaceflight News send CORS headers over HTTPS, so front-end code can fetch either directly with no backend proxy. That makes them easy to swap in a client-side app while you compare responses.
Are Shields and Spaceflight News free for commercial use?
Shields has unclear commercial terms, and Spaceflight News 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.