TLE vs NASA APOD

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

Uptime · 30d
Uptime · 90d—%—%
Uptime · 30d—%—%
P50 · ms
P95 · ms
AuthnoneapiKey
CORSyesyes
HTTPSyesyes
Card requirednono
Commercial useunclearyes
Data licenseUnverifiedPublic domain (US Gov)
Free tierFree — limits not published1,000 req/hour with free key
Rate limitUnpublishedDEMO_KEY: 30/hour, 50/day
In directory since2026-07-052026-05-02
operationalpartialdownno data

TLE vs NASA APOD: common questions

Which is more reliable, TLE or NASA APOD?

On our scheduled checks, NASA APOD leads on measured uptime — TLE at —% versus NASA APOD 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 TLE and NASA APOD need an API key?

TLE needs no key, while NASA APOD requires a free API key. If you want to start calling without signup, reach for TLE first.

Can I call TLE and NASA APOD from the browser?

Yes — both TLE and NASA APOD 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 TLE and NASA APOD free for commercial use?

TLE has unclear commercial terms, and NASA APOD allows commercial use on its free tier. 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.