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NASA Eyes

eyes.nasa.gov

Free plan Open source WebWindowsmacOSLinuxiOSAndroid
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Spec score 8.8 #4 of 35 in Astronomy Apps

What it is

NASA Eyes is a free suite of interactive 3D applications for exploring NASA data and imagery in a web browser. Eyes on the Solar System lets users move among planets, moons, asteroids, comets, and spacecraft in a simulated view spanning 1950 to 2050. Eyes on Asteroids follows more than 30,000 asteroids near Earth's orbit and identifies the next five closest approaches. Earth views present data on topics including carbon dioxide, ozone, sea level, weather, precipitation, and soil moisture. Eyes on Exoplanets offers exploration of more than 5,500 confirmed systems, with filters for planet type, detection method, and observatory. DSN Now refreshes Deep Space Network station information every five seconds; Mars Relay Network visualizes communications involving Mars orbiters, landers, and rovers. NASA says the browser apps work on internet-connected devices with a modern browser, including phones, tablets, computers, and Linux systems. NASA also provides guidance for museum and educational use, website embeds, and kiosk setups. Older downloadable editions still run but are no longer supported.

Spec sheet

What it does
NASA's Eyes is a suite of interactive 3D browser applications using real NASA data and imagery to explore Earth, space, missions and spacecraft.Read 15 Oct 2026 · science.nasa.gov
Product
NASA's Eyes is a suite of interactive 3D visualization applications for exploring real NASA data and imagery.Read 30 Sep 2026 · science.nasa.gov
Headquarters
Washington, DC, United StatesRead 28 Sep 2026 · eyes.nasa.gov
Founded
1958Read 28 Sep 2026 · eyes.nasa.gov
Apple listing details
The App Store lists Spacecraft AR as free, designed for iPhone and iPad, 168.1 MB in size and developed by Jet Propulsion Laboratory.Read 15 Oct 2026 · apps.apple.com
Asteroid tracking
Eyes on Asteroids tracks more than 30,000 near-Earth asteroids and shows the next five closest approaches.Read 15 Oct 2026 · science.nasa.gov
Asteroids
Eyes on Asteroids tracks over 30,000 asteroids near Earth's orbit and shows the next five closest approaches.Read 30 Sep 2026 · science.nasa.gov
August 2026 update
The August release added full Mars terrain and free-fly navigation on desktop and laptop computers, plus Roman Space Telescope and SOLAR-1 content.Read 15 Oct 2026 · science.nasa.gov
Browser access
The apps run in a regular web browser, and NASA says devices with a browser and internet connection can use them.Read 30 Sep 2026 · science.nasa.gov
Browser guidance
NASA's classroom lesson identifies Chrome and Firefox as the preferred browsers for Eyes.Read 15 Oct 2026 · jpl.nasa.gov
Company headquarters
LinkedIn lists NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory headquarters in Pasadena, California.Read 15 Oct 2026 · linkedin.com
Company relationship
LinkedIn identifies NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory as a federally funded research center managed for NASA by Caltech.Read 15 Oct 2026 · linkedin.com
Company size
LinkedIn lists NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory's company size as 5,001–10,000 employees.Read 15 Oct 2026 · linkedin.com
Deep Space Network
DSN Now refreshes ground-station communication information every five seconds and shows live spacecraft links.Read 15 Oct 2026 · science.nasa.gov
Device support
NASA says the browser applications work on modern-browser devices including phones, tablets, desktops, laptops and Linux systems.Read 15 Oct 2026 · science.nasa.gov
Earth data
Eyes on the Earth displays NASA Earth science missions and data including carbon dioxide, ozone, sea level, weather imagery, precipitation, and soil moisture.Read 30 Sep 2026 · science.nasa.gov
Earth observation
Eyes on the Earth visualizes satellite measurements such as carbon dioxide, ozone, sea level, precipitation and soil moisture, with historical playback extending about twenty years.Read 15 Oct 2026 · science.nasa.gov
Embedding
NASA's educator material documents iframe embedding with customizable dimensions and URL parameters for spacecraft, timing and playback rate.Read 15 Oct 2026 · science.nasa.gov
Exoplanets
Eyes on Exoplanets contains more than 5,500 confirmed exoplanet systems and supports filtering by planet type, detection method and observatory.Read 15 Oct 2026 · science.nasa.gov
Historical award
Wikipedia records Webby Awards for Experience Curiosity in 2016 and Eyes on the Earth in 2009.Read 15 Oct 2026 · en.wikipedia.org
Independent data note
The JPL education material states that Eyes data are compiled from real scientific observations.Read 15 Oct 2026 · jpl.nasa.gov
Independent technical praise
GHacks describes the software as a free program and mobile application covering Earth, the Solar System, the universe and spacecraft.Read 15 Oct 2026 · ghacks.net
June 2026 update
The June release gave all 4,716 listed stars in Eyes on Exoplanets their own description panels and added Mars Relay Network improvements.Read 15 Oct 2026 · science.nasa.gov
Kiosk options
NASA's kiosk link offers options such as timeouts, locked interface features, and removal of external links; the page also mentions a downloadable EXE.Read 30 Sep 2026 · science.nasa.gov
Landing simulation
The suite includes an interactive Mars 2020 entry, descent and landing experience for Perseverance.Read 15 Oct 2026 · science.nasa.gov
Legacy downloads
Older downloadable Eyes editions may continue to run but are no longer supported by NASA or the Eyes team.Read 15 Oct 2026 · science.nasa.gov
Licence
Wikipedia lists NASA's Eyes Visualization as public-domain software.Read 15 Oct 2026 · en.wikipedia.org
Limit: internet dependence
GHacks reports that the application retrieves data from NASA servers and requires an active internet connection.Read 15 Oct 2026 · ghacks.net
Limit: offline logistics
The Vatican Observatory says the offline edition is intended for museums and educational institutions, needs roughly a terabyte of storage and receives frequent updates.Read 15 Oct 2026 · vaticanobservatory.org
Limit: unreliable live demonstrations
The Vatican Observatory reports that poor internet service caused problems when demonstrating Eyes and required a phone hotspot.Read 15 Oct 2026 · vaticanobservatory.org
Mars communications
Mars Relay Network visualizes current, past, and future communications among Mars orbiters, landers, and rovers using mission data.Read 30 Sep 2026 · science.nasa.gov
Mission communications
DSN Now updates every five seconds with real-time Deep Space Network ground station data about spacecraft communications.Read 30 Sep 2026 · science.nasa.gov
Mission coverage
The Solar System application lets users follow more than 150 NASA missions from launch through their missions.Read 15 Oct 2026 · science.nasa.gov
Mobile AR complaint
Google Play reviews include reports that surface detection can fail, leaving a black screen or causing the app to freeze.Read 15 Oct 2026 · play.google.com
Mobile AR feature
Google Play describes Spacecraft AR as an educational NASA JPL app with adjustable-size 3D spacecraft models, mission information and camera features.Read 15 Oct 2026 · play.google.com
Museum use
NASA describes Eyes as free to use and provides guidance for museum exhibits, educational programming, kiosk setups, and website embeds.Read 30 Sep 2026 · science.nasa.gov
Offline deployment
A museum-oriented NASA's Eyes Server can download nearly 500 GB of content for offline use and requires an AWS key requested from the developers.Read 15 Oct 2026 · nisenet.org
Performance limitation
The JPL lesson warns that Eyes can be power-demanding on laptops and tablets.Read 15 Oct 2026 · jpl.nasa.gov
Praise: educational depth
Space.com describes the NASA app's Eyes features as part of a large collection of planet, solar-system and mission material that can lead users into extensive background exploration.Read 15 Oct 2026 · space.com
Praise: touchscreen use
Space.com says NASA's Eyes features in the NASA mobile app are easier to navigate on touchscreen devices than on desktop or laptop computers.Read 15 Oct 2026 · space.com
Rating on Apple App Store
3.1 out of 5 from 25 ratingsRead 15 Oct 2026 · apps.apple.com
Rating on Google Play
3.8 out of 5 from 537 reviewsRead 15 Oct 2026 · play.google.com
September 2026 update
The September release added asteroid impact views, close-approach watch controls for qualifying objects and a ten-year future display limit for accuracy.Read 15 Oct 2026 · science.nasa.gov
Solar System
Eyes on the Solar System simulates planets, moons, asteroids, comets and spacecraft across a 1950–2050 timeline.Read 15 Oct 2026 · science.nasa.gov
Trajectory data limitation
NASA's April release notes state that Artemis II solar-panel rotations are approximated because Eyes does not receive spacecraft telemetry.Read 15 Oct 2026 · science.nasa.gov

Plans and prices

Free Free Browser-based access · Internet connection required Read 15 Oct 2026 · nasa.gov
NASA's Eyes Free Free to use · runs in a web browser · internet connection required Read 30 Sep 2026 · science.nasa.gov

Every NASA Eyes plan and price →

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Free to use in a web browser.
  • Solar System view spans 1950 to 2050.
  • Tracks over 30,000 near-Earth asteroids.
  • Exoplanet views cover over 5,500 confirmed systems.
  • Museum guidance includes embeds and kiosk options.

Limits

  • Requires an internet connection.
  • Older downloadable editions are no longer supported.

Who it suits

NASA Eyes suits people exploring NASA missions and science data, as well as educators and museums planning exhibits or kiosk use. It is accessible on internet-connected devices with a modern browser.

NASA Eyes in depth

Read the full write-up

NASA Eyes is best for learners, educators and space enthusiasts who want to explore NASA mission and science data visually. Its breadth is unusual for a free tool; the main trade-off is that every browser-based view needs an internet connection.

Overview

NASA Eyes is a collection of interactive 3D applications rather than a single-purpose astronomy viewer. Its subjects range from planets and asteroids to Earth science, exoplanets and spacecraft communications, making it useful for following different threads of NASA science in one place. It is less suited to offline reference or to people seeking a sky guide, augmented-reality sky view or telescope control.

Key features

Solar system and near-Earth asteroids

Eyes on the Solar System lets users move among planets, moons, asteroids, comets and spacecraft in a simulated view spanning 1950 to 2050. That time range gives students and curious visitors a way to place objects and spacecraft in a wider context. Eyes on Asteroids takes a narrower, more immediate approach: it tracks over 30,000 asteroids near Earth's orbit and highlights the next five closest approaches.

Earth science and exoplanets

Eyes on the Earth combines NASA Earth science missions with views of carbon dioxide, ozone, sea level, weather imagery, precipitation and soil moisture. It suits readers interested in observing Earth systems as well as space. Eyes on Exoplanets offers a 3D view of over 5,500 confirmed exoplanet systems, with filters for planet type, detection method and observatory; those filters make a large collection more navigable for exploratory learning.

Mission communications

DSN Now refreshes every five seconds with real-time Deep Space Network ground-station data about spacecraft communications. The Mars Relay Network instead visualizes current, past and future communications among Mars orbiters, landers and rovers. These views add a practical mission-operations angle beyond celestial-object exploration, though both depend on a connection to NASA's browser applications.

Education and exhibits

NASA provides guidance for educational programming and museum exhibits, including kiosk setups and iframe examples for embedding views such as Earth satellites, the International Space Station, asteroid watch and DSN Now. Kiosk options include timeouts, interface locks and removal of external links, while a downloadable EXE is also mentioned. This makes the suite relevant to institutions planning public displays, not only individual visitors. Earlier downloadable versions continue to run but are no longer supported by NASA or the Eyes team.

Pricing

NASA's Eyes costs nothing. The free plan includes browser access to the suite and requires an internet connection; there is no free trial because access is free. There is no offline access, so the price advantage does not extend to disconnected use.

Platforms

NASA Eyes runs in a modern web browser on phones, tablets, desktops and laptops, including Linux systems. Its platform coverage includes Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, web and Windows. Browser access avoids tying the experience to one desktop operating system, but an internet connection remains essential.

Who it's for

Choose NASA Eyes for self-guided exploration of NASA data, classroom learning or museum displays. Its range of Earth and space subjects suits educators who want several science topics in one visual suite, while the communications views appeal to visitors interested in active missions. Look elsewhere if the priority is offline use, an AR sky view or controlling a telescope.

Pros and cons

Pros: Multiple applications span the solar system, Earth science, exoplanets and spacecraft communications, so users can explore more than one kind of NASA data without paying.

Pros: Museum and education guidance, embeddable views and configurable kiosk options support public-facing use.

Cons: The browser applications require an internet connection and do not provide offline access.

Cons: It is not an AR sky-view or telescope-control tool, limiting its fit for users seeking those forms of observation.

Alternatives

For another free, cross-platform option with an open-source project, consider Celestia. Solar System Scope is a freemium alternative with a free desktop-browser version requiring WebGL. If you want a mobile astronomy app with sky, Earth and solar-system views, a sky guide, layers, star names, world clock and notifications in its free tier, consider Cosmic Watch. Star Walk 2 is a freemium Android and iOS option with ads and premium content available through in-app purchases. Star Chart offers a free version with every feature and upgrade included and no subscriptions or paywalls. The other Star Chart listing is also free and includes in-app upgrades. Night Sky and Seestar App are additional alternatives.

Browse more options in Astronomy Apps.

Verdict

NASA Eyes is a strong choice for learners, educators and museum teams who want free, browser-based access to a broad set of NASA visualizations. Its breadth and exhibit guidance are the best reasons to choose it; the need for an internet connection, and the absence of AR sky viewing or telescope control, are clear reasons to look elsewhere.

Verdict

NASA Eyes brings several kinds of NASA mission and science data into interactive browser-based views. Its museum and education guidance extends its use beyond individual exploration.

Where Specifiction places it

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