Antariksh is an open-source Next.js template that builds a space-exploration image gallery from NASA's public API, featuring the Astronomy Picture of the Day, an ISS Crew page, and a searchable image directory.
What is Antariksh?
Antariksh is a virtual space world web application built with Next.js and TypeScript, styled entirely with Tailwind CSS. It consumes the NASA API to fetch and render Astronomy Picture of the Day data and other topic images, and it includes dedicated pages for the home view, ISS crew, and image search. The project is bootstrapped with create-next-app and is maintained on GitHub under the username parthpanchal123, with contribution guidelines provided in CONTRIBUTING.md.
Key Features
- Next.js SSR and SSG — The app uses both Server-Side Rendering and Static Site Generation, enabling faster initial loads and SEO-friendly pages.
- Tailwind CSS UI — All user interface components are styled using Tailwind CSS utility classes, keeping the design consistent and easy to customize.
- NASA API integration — Fetches data from the NASA API, including the Astronomy Picture of the Day and other topic images, using an API key stored in environment variables.
- ISS Crew page — A dedicated screen that presents information about the crew currently aboard the International Space Station.
- Search page — Allows visitors to search NASA's image library by topic and browse the returned results.
- Environment variable security — The NASA API key is stored in an
.envfile, and anexample.envfile is included to document the required variable name (API_KEY). - Vercel deployment ready — The project includes standard Next.js commands and instructions for deploying to Vercel from the create-next-app workflow.
Who is it for?
- Space enthusiasts — Explore daily astronomy pictures and searchable NASA imagery without leaving the app.
- Next.js developers — See a practical example of SSR and SSG in a real-world project that integrates an external REST API and uses environment variables.
- Educators and students — Use the image gallery and ISS crew page as visual aids for astronomy and space science lessons.
What can you do with Antariksh?
- View the Astronomy Picture of the Day: The homepage presents NASA's daily featured space image, refreshed through the API.
- Search NASA's image library: Use the Search page to find photos of specific planets, galaxies, or missions, then browse the results.
- Check the ISS crew: Visit the ISS Crew page to see the astronauts currently on the International Space Station.
How does Antariksh work?
To run it locally, first obtain a NASA API key from api.nasa.gov. Create an .env file in the project root and assign your key to the API_KEY variable, following the example.env file. Then run npm run dev or yarn dev and open http://localhost:3000 in your browser; the site will fetch NASA data using the key and render pages via Next.js SSR/SSG.
FAQ
How do I get a NASA API key for Antariksh?
Visit api.nasa.gov and sign up for a free account. After registration, you will receive an API key. Copy that key into a new .env file in the project root as the value of the API_KEY variable, as shown in the example.env file.
What technologies does Antariksh use?
Antariksh is built with Next.js (including SSR and SSG), TypeScript, and Tailwind CSS. It pulls data from the NASA API and is designed for deployment on Vercel.
Can I contribute to Antariksh?
Yes, the project is open source on GitHub. The repository includes a CONTRIBUTING.md file that outlines the contribution guidelines for developers who want to help improve the codebase.
