# Launch Library Space Launch Scraper (`crawlerbros/launch-library-scraper`) Actor Scrape the Launch Library 2 API - upcoming and past rocket launches from every provider (SpaceX, NASA, ULA, Roscosmos, CASC, ESA and more). Get launch schedules, rockets, missions, orbits, launch pads, agencies and astronauts as clean JSON. - **URL**: https://apify.com/crawlerbros/launch-library-scraper.md - **Developed by:** [Crawler Bros](https://apify.com/crawlerbros) (community) - **Categories:** Automation, Developer tools, Integrations - **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks - **User rating**: No ratings yet ## Pricing from $3.00 / 1,000 results This Actor is paid per event and usage. You are charged both the fixed price for specific events and for Apify platform usage. Since this Actor supports Apify Store discounts, the price gets lower the higher subscription plan you have. Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/platform/actors/running/actors-in-store#pay-per-event ## What's an Apify Actor? Actors are a software tools running on the Apify platform, for all kinds of web data extraction and automation use cases. In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours, and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store. In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server. Actors are written with capital "A". ## How to integrate an Actor? If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects. You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready. The best way to integrate Actors is as follows. In JavaScript/TypeScript projects, use official [JavaScript/TypeScript client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js.md): ```bash npm install apify-client ``` In Python projects, use official [Python client library](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python.md): ```bash pip install apify-client ``` In shell scripts, use [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): ````bash # MacOS / Linux curl -fsSL https://apify.com/install-cli.sh | bash # Windows irm https://apify.com/install-cli.ps1 | iex ```bash In AI frameworks, you might use the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/platform/integrations/mcp.md). If your project is in a different language, use the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md). For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below. For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt). # README ## Launch Library Space Launch Scraper Track **every rocket launch on Earth** — upcoming and past — plus agencies, launch pads and astronauts, from the free and open **[Launch Library 2](https://thespacedevs.com/llapi)** API by The Space Devs. Get launch schedules, rockets, missions, orbits, providers and pad coordinates as clean JSON. No account, no API key, no login. Covers all providers: **SpaceX, NASA, ULA, Rocket Lab, Roscosmos, CASC (China), ESA, ISRO, Blue Origin** and more. Great for launch-tracker apps, dashboards, Discord/Telegram bots, calendars, newsletters, and any project that needs an authoritative spaceflight schedule. ### What this actor does - **Five modes:** `upcomingLaunches`, `previousLaunches`, `agencies`, `launchPads`, `astronauts` - **Direct lookup:** fetch specific launches by Launch Library ID (UUID) or launch URL - **Detailed launch rows:** rocket, mission, orbit, provider and pad all in one record - **Free-text search** (e.g. `Falcon 9`, `SpaceX`, `Baikonur`) and per-mode sort order - **Empty fields are omitted** — you never get `null`s ### ⚠️ Rate limit The Launch Library 2 API allows **~15 requests per hour** for anonymous access. This actor is built for that limit: it keeps the default page size and `maxItems` modest and automatically backs off (honoring `Retry-After`) if it hits HTTP 429. For most runs a single page (up to 25 records) is one request. Keep `maxItems` small and avoid running the actor many times in quick succession. ### Output per record Empty fields are always omitted. Every record carries `recordType`, `sourceUrl` (the live API URL for that record) and `scrapedAt` (UTC). #### Launch (`upcomingLaunches`, `previousLaunches`, `launchIds`) `launchId`, `name`, `slug`, `status`, `statusAbbrev`, `statusDescription`, `net`, `windowStart`, `windowEnd`, `netPrecision`, `weatherProbability`, `weatherConcerns`, `holdReason`, `failReason`, `lastUpdated`, `padTurnaround`, `webcastLive`, `programs`, `orbitalLaunchAttemptCount`, `locationLaunchAttemptCount`, `padLaunchAttemptCount`, `agencyLaunchAttemptCount`, `provider`, `providerAbbrev`, `providerType`, `providerCountry`, `providerId`, `providerLaunchCount`, `rocketName`, `rocketFamily`, `rocketVariant`, `rocketId`, `rocketReusable`, `rocketWikiUrl`, `rocketImageUrl`, `missionName`, `missionDescription`, `missionType`, `orbit`, `orbitAbbrev`, `padName`, `padLocation`, `padCountry`, `padTimezone`, `latitude`, `longitude`, `padTotalLaunchCount`, `padWikiUrl`, `padMapUrl`, `padMapImageUrl`, `imageUrl`, `infographicUrl`. #### Agency (`agencies`) `agencyId`, `name`, `abbrev`, `type`, `countryCode`, `description`, `administrator`, `foundingYear`, `totalLaunchCount`, `successfulLaunches`, `failedLaunches`, `pendingLaunches`, `consecutiveSuccessfulLaunches`, `successfulLandings`, `failedLandings`, `attemptedLandings`, `consecutiveSuccessfulLandings`, `launchers`, `spacecraft`, `featured`, `infoUrl`, `wikiUrl`, `logoUrl`, `imageUrl`, `nationUrl`. #### Launch pad (`launchPads`) `padId`, `name`, `description`, `latitude`, `longitude`, `locationName`, `countryCode`, `locationTimezone`, `totalLaunchCount`, `orbitalLaunchAttemptCount`, `locationTotalLaunchCount`, `locationTotalLandingCount`, `mapUrl`, `wikiUrl`, `infoUrl`, `mapImageUrl`. #### Astronaut (`astronauts`) `astronautId`, `name`, `status`, `type`, `nationality`, `agencyName`, `bio`, `dateOfBirth`, `dateOfDeath`, `age`, `inSpace`, `timeInSpace`, `evaTime`, `flightsCount`, `landingsCount`, `spacewalksCount`, `firstFlight`, `lastFlight`, `twitter`, `instagram`, `wiki`, `profileImageUrl`. #### Sample launch record ```json { "recordType": "launch", "launchId": "2bedbf8c-8df2-4e24-8397-8c2a08fab581", "name": "Long March 4B | Haiyang 2E", "status": "Launch Successful", "net": "2026-07-01T23:46:00Z", "provider": "China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation", "providerCountry": "CHN", "rocketName": "Long March 4B", "missionName": "Haiyang 2E", "orbit": "Sun-Synchronous Orbit", "padName": "Launch Area 94 (SLS-2 / 603)", "padLocation": "Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China", "latitude": 40.960482, "longitude": 100.298059, "imageUrl": "https://…/long-march-4b.jpg", "sourceUrl": "https://ll.thespacedevs.com/2.2.0/launch/2bedbf8c-8df2-4e24-8397-8c2a08fab581/", "scrapedAt": "2026-07-02T13:35:00+00:00" } ```` ### Input | Field | Type | Default | Description | |---|---|---|---| | `mode` | string | `upcomingLaunches` | `upcomingLaunches` / `previousLaunches` / `agencies` / `launchPads` / `astronauts` | | `search` | string | – | Free-text filter (e.g. `Falcon 9`, `SpaceX`, `Baikonur`) | | `netAfter` | string | – | Only launches on/after this ISO date (launch modes), e.g. `2026-01-01` | | `netBefore` | string | – | Only launches on/before this ISO date (launch modes), e.g. `2026-12-31` | | `ordering` | string | – | Sort order. Date options apply to launches; "most launches" applies to agencies and pads | | `launchIds` | array | – | Fetch specific launches by Launch Library ID (UUID) or launch URL. When set, other filters are ignored | | `maxItems` | integer | `10` | Hard cap on emitted records (1–100). Kept low because of the ~15 req/hr limit | #### Example: upcoming launches for a rocket ```json { "mode": "upcomingLaunches", "search": "Falcon 9", "maxItems": 25 } ``` #### Example: recent past launches ```json { "mode": "previousLaunches", "maxItems": 10 } ``` #### Example: top launch providers ```json { "mode": "agencies", "ordering": "-total_launch_count", "maxItems": 20 } ``` #### Example: specific launches by ID ```json { "mode": "upcomingLaunches", "launchIds": ["2bedbf8c-8df2-4e24-8397-8c2a08fab581"] } ``` ### Use cases - **Launch trackers** — power an app, calendar or bot with the worldwide launch manifest - **Dashboards & newsletters** — surface upcoming launches with rocket, mission and pad details - **Analytics** — compare providers by total, successful and failed launch counts - **Mapping** — plot launch pads by latitude/longitude and launch history - **Spaceflight research** — pull astronaut flight, EVA and spacewalk statistics ### FAQ **Do I need an account or API key?** No. Launch Library 2 is free and public. The actor works out of the box. **How current is the schedule?** It mirrors the Launch Library 2 database, which is community-maintained and updated continuously as launches are announced, slip or complete. **Why is `maxItems` low by default?** Because anonymous API access is limited to ~15 requests per hour. Larger pulls are possible but keep `maxItems` reasonable and don't run the actor repeatedly in a short window. **What happens if I hit the rate limit?** The actor waits (honoring the `Retry-After` header) and retries, then stops cleanly with a status message rather than failing. Any records already fetched are kept. **Can I get a specific launch?** Yes — put its Launch Library ID(s) or launch URL(s) in `launchIds`. These always return launch records, whatever the selected mode. **What is `net`?** "No Earlier Than" — the scheduled launch time (ISO 8601, UTC). `netPrecision` tells you how exact it is (Minute, Hour, Day, Month…). ### Data source This actor uses the public Launch Library 2 API at `https://ll.thespacedevs.com/2.2.0`, provided by [The Space Devs](https://thespacedevs.com/). Data is available under a Creative Commons license. This is a third-party actor and is not affiliated with The Space Devs. # Actor input Schema ## `mode` (type: `string`): What to fetch. ## `search` (type: `string`): Free-text filter (e.g. `Falcon 9`, `SpaceX`, `Baikonur`, `Artemis`). Leave empty to list everything. ## `ordering` (type: `string`): How to sort results. Date options (`net`) apply to launches; `-total_launch_count` applies to agencies and pads. Leave on default for a sensible per-mode order. ## `netAfter` (type: `string`): Only launches on or after this date/time. ISO 8601, e.g. `2026-01-01` or `2026-01-01T00:00:00Z`. Applies to Upcoming/Previous launches. ## `netBefore` (type: `string`): Only launches on or before this date/time. ISO 8601, e.g. `2026-12-31`. Applies to Upcoming/Previous launches. ## `launchIds` (type: `array`): Fetch specific launches by their Launch Library ID (UUID) or launch URL. When set, other filters are ignored. ## `maxItems` (type: `integer`): Hard cap on emitted records. Kept low by default because anonymous API access is rate-limited to ~15 requests/hour. ## Actor input object example ```json { "mode": "upcomingLaunches", "ordering": "", "launchIds": [], "maxItems": 10 } ``` # Actor output Schema ## `records` (type: `string`): Dataset containing all scraped Launch Library records. # API You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup. ## JavaScript example ```javascript import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client'; // Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token // Replace the '' with your token const client = new ApifyClient({ token: '', }); // Prepare Actor input const input = { "mode": "upcomingLaunches", "launchIds": [], "maxItems": 10 }; // Run the Actor and wait for it to finish const run = await client.actor("crawlerbros/launch-library-scraper").call(input); // Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any) console.log('Results from dataset'); console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`); const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems(); items.forEach((item) => { console.dir(item); }); // 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs ``` ## Python example ```python from apify_client import ApifyClient # Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token # Replace '' with your token. client = ApifyClient("") # Prepare the Actor input run_input = { "mode": "upcomingLaunches", "launchIds": [], "maxItems": 10, } # Run the Actor and wait for it to finish run = client.actor("crawlerbros/launch-library-scraper").call(run_input=run_input) # Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any) print("💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/" + run["defaultDatasetId"]) for item in client.dataset(run["defaultDatasetId"]).iterate_items(): print(item) # 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start ``` ## CLI example ```bash echo '{ "mode": "upcomingLaunches", "launchIds": [], "maxItems": 10 }' | apify call crawlerbros/launch-library-scraper --silent --output-dataset ``` ## MCP server setup ```json { "mcpServers": { "apify": { "command": "npx", "args": [ "mcp-remote", "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=crawlerbros/launch-library-scraper", "--header", "Authorization: Bearer " ] } } } ``` ## OpenAPI specification ```json { "openapi": "3.0.1", "info": { "title": "Launch Library Space Launch Scraper", "description": "Scrape the Launch Library 2 API - upcoming and past rocket launches from every provider (SpaceX, NASA, ULA, Roscosmos, CASC, ESA and more). Get launch schedules, rockets, missions, orbits, launch pads, agencies and astronauts as clean JSON.", "version": "1.0", "x-build-id": "fOScMGvfSBotb8ErS" }, "servers": [ { "url": "https://api.apify.com/v2" } ], "paths": { "/acts/crawlerbros~launch-library-scraper/run-sync-get-dataset-items": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-get-dataset-items-crawlerbros-launch-library-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for its completion, and returns Actor's dataset items in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK" } } } }, "/acts/crawlerbros~launch-library-scraper/runs": { "post": { "operationId": "runs-sync-crawlerbros-launch-library-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor and returns information about the initiated run in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK", "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/runsResponseSchema" } } } } } } }, "/acts/crawlerbros~launch-library-scraper/run-sync": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-crawlerbros-launch-library-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for completion, and returns the OUTPUT from Key-value store in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK" } } } } }, "components": { "schemas": { "inputSchema": { "type": "object", "required": [ "mode" ], "properties": { "mode": { "title": "Mode", "enum": [ "upcomingLaunches", "previousLaunches", "agencies", "launchPads", "astronauts" ], "type": "string", "description": "What to fetch.", "default": "upcomingLaunches" }, "search": { "title": "Search", "type": "string", "description": "Free-text filter (e.g. `Falcon 9`, `SpaceX`, `Baikonur`, `Artemis`). Leave empty to list everything." }, "ordering": { "title": "Sort order", "enum": [ "", "net", "-net", "name", "-name", "-last_updated", "-total_launch_count" ], "type": "string", "description": "How to sort results. Date options (`net`) apply to launches; `-total_launch_count` applies to agencies and pads. Leave on default for a sensible per-mode order.", "default": "" }, "netAfter": { "title": "Launch date from (launch modes)", "type": "string", "description": "Only launches on or after this date/time. ISO 8601, e.g. `2026-01-01` or `2026-01-01T00:00:00Z`. Applies to Upcoming/Previous launches." }, "netBefore": { "title": "Launch date to (launch modes)", "type": "string", "description": "Only launches on or before this date/time. ISO 8601, e.g. `2026-12-31`. Applies to Upcoming/Previous launches." }, "launchIds": { "title": "Launch IDs (direct lookup)", "type": "array", "description": "Fetch specific launches by their Launch Library ID (UUID) or launch URL. When set, other filters are ignored.", "default": [], "items": { "type": "string" } }, "maxItems": { "title": "Max items", "minimum": 1, "maximum": 100, "type": "integer", "description": "Hard cap on emitted records. Kept low by default because anonymous API access is rate-limited to ~15 requests/hour.", "default": 10 } } }, "runsResponseSchema": { "type": "object", "properties": { "data": { "type": "object", "properties": { "id": { "type": "string" }, "actId": { "type": "string" }, "userId": { "type": "string" }, "startedAt": { "type": "string", "format": "date-time", "example": "2025-01-08T00:00:00.000Z" }, "finishedAt": { "type": "string", "format": "date-time", "example": "2025-01-08T00:00:00.000Z" }, "status": { "type": "string", "example": "READY" }, "meta": { "type": "object", "properties": { "origin": { "type": "string", "example": "API" }, "userAgent": { "type": "string" } } }, "stats": { "type": "object", "properties": { "inputBodyLen": { "type": "integer", "example": 2000 }, "rebootCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "restartCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "resurrectCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "computeUnits": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } }, "options": { "type": "object", "properties": { "build": { "type": "string", "example": "latest" }, "timeoutSecs": { "type": "integer", "example": 300 }, "memoryMbytes": { "type": "integer", "example": 1024 }, "diskMbytes": { "type": "integer", "example": 2048 } } }, "buildId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultKeyValueStoreId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultDatasetId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultRequestQueueId": { "type": "string" }, "buildNumber": { "type": "string", "example": "1.0.0" }, "containerUrl": { "type": "string" }, "usage": { "type": "object", "properties": { "ACTOR_COMPUTE_UNITS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 1 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_LISTS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_INTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_EXTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_RESIDENTIAL_TRANSFER_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_SERPS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } }, "usageTotalUsd": { "type": "number", "example": 0.00005 }, "usageUsd": { "type": "object", "properties": { "ACTOR_COMPUTE_UNITS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_WRITES": { "type": "number", "example": 0.00005 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_LISTS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_INTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_EXTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_RESIDENTIAL_TRANSFER_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_SERPS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } } } } } } } } } ```