# Provenance stamped 2026-10-07 (roadmap#943): written by an API Evangelist sweep (undated — the file carries no date and git cannot supply one), not
# harvested from the provider. `method: generated` so the economics campaign may replace it with a
# dated, verbatim transcription; every figure below is unverified until it does.
method: generated
name: NASA Earthdata API Rate Limits
description: NASA Earthdata services apply rate limits to ensure fair access for all users. Rate limits vary by service and are generally enforced per IP address. Exceeding limits results in temporary blocking that is automatically lifted. For high-volume programmatic access, users should contact NASA Earthdata support.
rateLimits:
  - name: CMR Search API
    description: The Common Metadata Repository Search API does not publish explicit hard rate limits but recommends reasonable use for high-volume queries. The system is designed to return results in under 1 second.
    url: https://cmr.earthdata.nasa.gov/search/site/docs/search/api.html
    limits: []

  - name: LAADS DAAC (VIIRS/MODIS Downloads)
    description: The Level-1 and Atmosphere Archive and Distribution System (LAADS) DAAC enforces per-IP rate limits for file download endpoints.
    url: https://ladsweb.modaps.eosdis.nasa.gov/
    limits:
      - name: Requests Per Second
        value: 25
        unit: requests/second
        scope: per IP address per load-balanced server
      - name: Concurrent Connections
        value: 100
        unit: concurrent requests
        scope: per IP address across all load-balanced servers

  - name: NASA Open APIs (api.nasa.gov)
    description: The NASA Open APIs (including APOD and other general NASA APIs) enforce rate limits based on API key registration status.
    url: https://api.nasa.gov/
    limits:
      - name: Demo Key Hourly Limit
        value: 30
        unit: requests/hour
        scope: per IP address (unauthenticated DEMO_KEY)
      - name: Demo Key Daily Limit
        value: 50
        unit: requests/day
        scope: per IP address (unauthenticated DEMO_KEY)
      - name: Registered Key Hourly Limit
        value: 1000
        unit: requests/hour
        scope: per registered API key

  - name: AppEEARS API
    description: AppEEARS uses asynchronous job processing. No explicit per-second rate limits are published, but concurrent task submissions may be limited per user account.
    url: https://appeears.earthdatacloud.nasa.gov/api/
    limits: []

  - name: GIBS API
    description: The Global Imagery Browse Services API is a public tile service with no documented rate limits for standard map tile access.
    url: https://gibs.earthdata.nasa.gov/
    limits: []