MCP (Model Context Protocol)
Connect AI agents like Claude and ChatGPT to SateAIs via the Model Context Protocol.
The SateAIs MCP server lets AI agents call satellite detection tools directly. Point any MCP-compatible client at the shared endpoint and sign in with your SpaceShift account — no API key handling required.
How it works
- Endpoint:
https://mcp.spcsft.com/mcp(same URL for every user) - Authentication: OAuth 2.1 — your client opens a browser window where you sign in to SpaceShift and approve access
- Transport: Streamable HTTP (stateless, JSON)
A SpaceShift Console account with at least one active API key is required. MCP jobs run against your account, so credits, rate limits, and endpoint permissions follow the same rules as the REST API.
Connect your client
Claude.ai (Pro / Team / Enterprise) supports remote MCP servers natively — no local bridge required.
-
Open Claude.ai and go to Settings → Customize → Connectors.
-
Click Add custom connector and enter the endpoint URL:
https://mcp.spcsft.com/mcp -
Click Connect. A browser window opens — sign in with your SpaceShift account and approve the access request on the consent screen.
-
The
sateaisconnector becomes available in any new chat — toggle it on from the conversation's tools menu.
Custom connectors require a Claude.ai paid plan. Free accounts cannot add custom MCP servers — use Claude Desktop instead.
Edit the Claude Desktop configuration file and add a sateais entry under mcpServers:
- macOS:
~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json - Windows:
%APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json
{
"mcpServers": {
"sateais": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "mcp-remote", "https://mcp.spcsft.com/mcp"]
}
}
}Restart Claude Desktop. On first launch, mcp-remote opens a browser window — sign in with your SpaceShift account and approve access. The sateais server then appears under Settings → Developer → MCP Servers, and the tools become available in any chat.
mcp-remote is a stdio↔HTTP bridge — Claude Desktop launches it locally and it forwards requests to mcp.spcsft.com, handling the OAuth flow and token refresh automatically. Node.js 18+ is required.
ChatGPT supports MCP via Custom connectors (Developer mode, currently rolling out to Plus / Pro / Enterprise plans).
-
Open ChatGPT and go to Settings → Connectors → Advanced → Developer mode.
-
Click Add custom connector and set the connector URL:
https://mcp.spcsft.com/mcp -
ChatGPT detects the OAuth configuration automatically. Complete the sign-in and consent flow in the browser window that opens.
-
Enable the connector for the conversation where you want to use it.
Custom connectors require ChatGPT Developer mode, which may not be available on all plans. See OpenAI's MCP documentation for the latest availability.
Registries and directories
SateAIs is published in the official MCP Registry as com.spcsft/sateais, and is listed on community directories such as Smithery, Glama, and PulseMCP. Clients and tools that support registry-based discovery can find the server by that name.
However you discover the server, the connection details are the same: the endpoint is https://mcp.spcsft.com/mcp and authorization uses OAuth sign-in, as described in Connect your client.
Available tools
The MCP server exposes the same detection capabilities as the REST API:
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
analyze_ship | Detect vessels in Sentinel-1 SAR imagery. |
analyze_oilslick | Identify oil spills on the sea surface. |
analyze_newbuilding | Find newly constructed structures between two periods. |
analyze_disappearbuilding | Identify buildings missing between two periods. |
analyze_timeseries | Detect surface change between observations. |
check_job_status | Poll the status of a submitted job. |
list_jobs | List your recent jobs, newest first (up to 30). |
get_job_result | Fetch the GeoJSON result of a completed job. |
open_polygon_draw | Open a polygon-drawing widget for AOI definition. |
Credits, rate limits, and endpoint permissions follow the same rules as the REST API — see Authentication and Rate limits.
Revoking access
To disconnect an AI agent from your account:
- Remove the connector from the client (Claude / ChatGPT settings), and
- Revoke the underlying API key in the SateAIs API Console if you want to invalidate all access immediately.
Legacy: API-key connection URLs (deprecated)
Deprecated
Connection URLs with an embedded API key (?sateaisApiKey=sk_live_xxxxx) are deprecated in favor of OAuth. They keep working during a migration period — responses include a Sunset header with the removal date — but new setups should use OAuth. Because a legacy URL embeds your API key, treat it like a password: never commit it to a public repository, and rotate the key immediately if the URL leaks.
If you still use a legacy URL, migrate by replacing it with the plain endpoint https://mcp.spcsft.com/mcp in your client configuration and completing the OAuth sign-in once.
Troubleshooting
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
401 Unauthorized from the MCP server | OAuth authorization expired or revoked | Reconnect the connector and complete the sign-in flow again. |
| Consent screen never appears | Pop-up blocked, or not signed in to the Console | Allow pop-ups for your client, sign in at console.spcsft.com, then retry. |
403 Forbidden on a tool call | Plan lacks permission for the endpoint | Check entitlements in the Console. |
| Claude Desktop shows no tools | mcp-remote failed to launch | Confirm Node.js 18+ is on PATH, then restart Claude Desktop. |
Job stays pending for >2 hours | Underlying detection job stalled | Call check_job_status directly; contact support if it remains stuck. |