A side-by-side look at the Faa Aircraft Registry MCP Server and Nasa Images MCP servers: transport, auth, tools, quality signals, and the config to install either one in Claude, Cursor, Windsurf or VS Code.
Verdict: choose Faa Aircraft Registry MCP Server for aerospace & astrodynamics work as a local process; choose Nasa Images for aerospace & astrodynamics as a local process. You can also run both side by side in one mcpServers block.
faa_lookup_registration, faa_get_registration_status, faa_search_registrations.NASA_API_KEY, PORT.query.Rows where the two servers differ are marked.
| Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
| Category | Aerospace & Astrodynamics | Aerospace & Astrodynamics |
| Quality signal | 52/100 · Good | 49/100 · Fair |
| Install command | Confirmed | Confirmed |
| Transport | Local subprocess (stdio) | Local subprocess (stdio) |
| Auth | Not declared | Not declared |
| Pricing | Not declared | Not declared |
| Required env vars | None listed | NASA_API_KEYPORT |
| Verified owner | Community listing | Community listing |
| GitHub stars | 3 | 1 |
| Directory activity | 1 views 0 installs 0 upvotes | 1 views 0 installs 0 upvotes |
| Tools | 5 | 1 |
| Full listing | View Faa Aircraft Registry MCP Server | View Nasa Images |
faa_lookup_registrationDecode one N-number to its full pre-joined active record — aircraft make/model, engine, year, airworthiness, registration status, Mode S code, and registered owner (when redaction is off).faa_get_registration_statusResolve an N-number across all three status files (active, deregistered, reserved) in priority order, returning a definitive `recordType`.faa_search_registrationsSearch active registrations by owner name, make/model, state, aircraft type, or Mode S code.faa_search_aircraft_typesSearch the aircraft reference table by manufacturer/model name, type, or category to discover manufacturer-model codes.faa_get_aircraft_typeDecode a 6–7-character manufacturer/model/series code to aircraft specs — category, type, engine, seats, weight class, cruise speed, type-certificate data.queryPaste either block (or both) into your client config, e.g. claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json. We only show a config when the install command is confirmed.
{
"mcpServers": {
"faa-aircraft-registry-mcp-server": {
"command": "bunx",
"args": [
"@cyanheads/faa-aircraft-registry-mcp-server@latest"
]
}
}
}
{
"mcpServers": {
"nasa-images": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"@kaitoy/nasa-images-mcp-server"
],
"env": {
"NASA_API_KEY": "YOUR_NASA_API_KEY_HERE",
"PORT": "YOUR_PORT_HERE"
}
}
}
}