NASA SciX MCP Server
Server Configuration
Describes the environment variables required to run the server.
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| SCIX_API_TOKEN | Yes | Your SciX API token. Create an account at https://scixplorer.org/ and generate an API token at https://scixplorer.org/user/settings/token |
Instructions
Guidance the server publishes about itself, which clients place ahead of the tool catalog so the model reads it before choosing anything.
This server publishes no instructions, or was last inspected before Glama recorded them.
Capabilities
Features and capabilities supported by this server
Protocol revision2025-11-25
| Capability | Details |
|---|---|
| tools | {
"listChanged": true
} |
| prompts | {
"listChanged": true
} |
| resources | {
"listChanged": true
} |
Tools
Functions exposed to the LLM to take actions
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| searchA | Search SciX for astronomical literature. Supports full Solr query syntax including author:"Last, F.", title:keyword, abstract:keyword, year:2020-2023, and Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT). Pass filter_query to narrow results by facet values obtained from get_facets. |
| get_facetsA | Count how SciX search results break down across facets, to narrow a search. Covers author, collections, refereed, institutions, keywords, publications, bibgroups, SIMBAD objects, NED objects, award, data, Vizier tables, publication type, planetary features, UAT concepts, and year. Each returned bucket carries a ready-to-use filter_query value to pass back to search, and hierarchical facets (author, institutions, objects, award, publication type, planetary) report a child_prefix for drilling deeper. |
| get_paperB | Get detailed information about a specific paper by identifier: bibcode, DOI, arXiv ID, or SciX ID (scix:...). |
| get_metricsB | Get citation metrics including h-index, citation counts, and paper statistics for a list of bibcodes. |
| get_citationsB | Get papers that cite a given paper (forward citations). Accepts a bibcode, DOI, arXiv ID, or SciX ID. |
| get_referencesA | Get papers referenced by a given paper (backward citations). Accepts a bibcode, DOI, arXiv ID, or SciX ID. |
| exportB | Export citations in 23 bibliographic formats (BibTeX, AASTeX, EndNote, IEEE, MNRAS, etc.) with support for custom formatting templates. |
| get_librariesB | Get all libraries for the authenticated user. Can filter by type (all, owner, collaborator). |
| get_libraryB | Get details about a specific library including metadata and list of documents. |
| create_libraryB | Create a new library with optional initial documents. |
| delete_libraryC | Delete a library permanently. |
| edit_libraryA | Edit library metadata (name, description, public status). Overwrites the current values, and changing public status can expose a private library. |
| manage_documentsA | Add or remove documents from a library. Removal discards the record of those documents in that library. |
| add_documents_by_queryC | Add documents to a library from a SciX search query. |
| library_operationB | Perform set operations on libraries (union, intersection, difference, copy, empty). The empty, difference and intersection actions replace or discard the contents of the target library. |
| get_permissionsC | Get permission information for a library. |
| update_permissionsB | Grant or modify permissions for a user on a library. Can revoke access that an existing collaborator currently has. |
| transfer_libraryA | Transfer ownership of a library to another user. The current owner loses ownership and this server cannot undo it. |
| get_annotationC | Get annotation/note for a document in a library. |
| manage_annotationA | Add or update an annotation/note for a document in a library. Updating replaces the existing note content. |
| delete_annotationC | Delete an annotation/note for a document in a library. |
| search_docsA | Search SciX help documentation for information about search syntax, features, API usage, and best practices. |
| health_checkA | Diagnose the SciX MCP server setup: reports server name and version, the API base URL, whether an API token is configured, an authentication probe result, and the registered tool names. Takes no required arguments. Use this to distinguish setup problems (missing/invalid token, unreachable API) from ordinary API errors. |
Prompts
Interactive templates invoked by user choice
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| search-workflow | Guide for searching astronomical literature effectively using SciX search syntax, operators, and best practices. |
| library-management | Workflows for creating, managing, and organizing paper collections in SciX libraries. |
| citation-analysis | Techniques for analyzing citation metrics, h-index, and citation networks. |
| export-bibliography | Methods for exporting citations in various formats (BibTeX, AASTeX, EndNote, etc.). |
| best-practices | General best practices, performance tips, and error handling for the SciX MCP server. |
Resources
Contextual data attached and managed by the client
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| SciX Usage Guide | Comprehensive guide for using the SciX MCP server: search syntax, workflows, tools reference, and best practices. |
TDQS
Scored across 23 tools
Tools are mostly distinct by resource and action: search vs search_docs, get_citations vs get_references, and the library CRUD/permission/annotation tools target different operations. A few library-modification tools (manage_documents, add_documents_by_query, library_operation) could be confused without reading descriptions, but the descriptions clarify boundaries.
The set follows a predictable snake_case pattern, mostly verb_noun (get_paper, create_library, delete_annotation, update_permissions). Minor deviations like search, export, health_check, and library_operation are readable but not strictly verb_noun.
23 tools is heavy for a literature API client, though the breadth of library lifecycle, permissions, annotations, citations, metrics, export, and diagnostics explains much of it. Some library-document operations could be consolidated, so the count borders on over-scoped.
Core literature workflows (search, paper retrieval, facets, citations/references, metrics, export) and library lifecycle including documents, permissions, annotations, and transfer are well covered. Minor gaps exist, such as a direct list-all-annotations operation, but agents can work around them.