Overview
This node fetches photos taken by NASA's Mars Rovers on a specified Earth date. It is useful for retrieving historical or recent images captured by rovers such as Curiosity, Opportunity, Perseverance, and Spirit. Typical use cases include space research, educational projects, or integrating Mars imagery into applications or dashboards.
For example, you can get photos taken by the Curiosity rover on July 4, 2020, to analyze surface conditions or share stunning Mars landscapes.
Properties
| Name | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Rover Name | Choose which Mars Rover to get a photo from. Options: Curiosity, Opportunity, Perseverance, Spirit |
| Date | The Earth date for which to retrieve Mars Rover photos (formatted as YYYY-MM-DD) |
Output
The node outputs JSON data containing an array of photos taken by the selected Mars Rover on the specified date. Each photo object typically includes metadata such as the image URL, camera details, rover status, and timestamps.
No binary data output is indicated in the source code.
Dependencies
- Requires an API key credential for NASA's public API.
- The base URL used is
https://api.nasa.gov. - The node sends HTTP GET requests to endpoints like
/mars-photos/api/v1/rovers/{roverName}/photoswith query parameters including the Earth date.
Troubleshooting
Common issues:
- Invalid or missing API key will cause authentication errors.
- Requesting photos for dates when the rover was not active or no photos were taken may return empty results.
- Incorrect date format might lead to request failures; ensure the date is properly formatted as YYYY-MM-DD.
Error messages:
- Authentication errors indicate problems with the provided NASA API key; verify and update credentials.
- "No photos found" responses mean no images exist for the given rover and date combination; try different dates or rovers.
Links and References
- NASA Mars Rover Photos API documentation: https://api.nasa.gov/
- Mars Rover mission details: https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/mission/overview/