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Draft for review. This page is under review before the Operational Readiness Review. Panels marked as open questions are still waiting for an answer. Send corrections to the Research Platform team. |
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Read time: 3 minutes. No technical knowledge needed. Status: the The Research Platform is live . It has been operational since 15 August 2026. It is fully supported. The team adds new features and improves existing ones all the time. |
In one sentence
and fully supported as of August 15, 2026. Our team continuously updates the platform with new features and improvements. |
The Research Platform is a ready-to-use cloud workspace for science computing workspace in the cloud. You open access it in through your web browser , and you can write and run code, use large amounts of data, and work with AI help — without buying, building, or maintaining any computers.
It is a service inside the Science Cloud. You log in with the same Science Cloud identity you use for other Science Cloud services.
The short version
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at rp.sciencecloud.nasa.gov using your standard Science Cloud login. There is nothing to install.
When you log in, you get a personal notebook workspace—a single web page where you can write code, process large amounts of data, view charts, and use SI tools.
- Easy sharing: Your files save automatically, and you can easily share data with your team.
- Power on demand: You don't need to buy or maintain hardware. If a job is too big, the platform gives you more
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- computing power.
- Cost control: When you
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- finish working, the machines
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- you stop paying immediately. You only pay for compute and storage.
Who can use
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the Research Platform?
Any Science Mission Directorate (SMD)The Research Platform is open to any SMD-funded project . (SMD is NASA's Science Mission Directorate.) A project admin asks for a project, then adds the members of the team. See How to get access.
What problem it solves
Science teams used to do this work themselves:
can use the Research Platform. To get started, a project admin requests a workspace. Once approved, they can add their team members. See How To Get Access to the Research Platform.
Why use the Research Platform?
Previously, science teams had to manage their own computing environments. The Research Platform handles the heavy lifting for you:
Old wayAsk for , then | and build servers | Log in and start working in minutes |
| Install Python, libraries, and drivers by hand |
The workspace already has the | Essential science software is pre-installed |
| Copy data files between laptops |
Shared | Keep data in shared team storage |
, about who can read what work See own your the workspace a bigger machine for a big job| expensive machines for temporary big jobs | Get more computing power instantly, only when you need it |
Ask the platform for more machines, only while you need them AI | SI tools and API keys | Approved |
AI helpers | SI assistants are built right in |
What
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's included in the Research Platform?
- Personal workspace: Private file storage with essential science software pre-installed.
- Flexible power: Choose how much memory you need (
- Your own workspace. Private files, and science software already installed.
- A size choice. You pick how much computer power you need when you start, from 4 GB up to 64 GB of memory) every time you start.
- Team storage. Space that only your project can see, plus your own private space.
- More power on demand. The platform can spread one big job over many machines.
- Shared team storage: Secure folders visible only to your project members.
- Power on demand: Spread a single massive job across multiple machines when needed.
- Background processing: Set Background jobs. Send a long notebook to run on its own , and keep working meanwhile.while you work on other tasks.
- Real-time collaboration: Edit Working together. Two or more members can edit the same notebook at the exact same time .as your teammates.
- Built-in SI: Use an in-workspace SI assistant and access AI help. An assistant inside the workspace, plus a catalog of approved AI tools.
- Cost visibility. You see your own spend and what is left of your budget.
- Clear budgets: Always know what you've spent and what's left in the project budget.
Want to learn more? You can read the detailed guide for each feature, or jump right in Each of these has its own page. Start with How to use the platform.
Who runs it, and who pays
Roles and Billing
- Project Admins: The person managing the A project admin (the person who runs a research project and its money) asks for a project, and adds funding. They request the workspace and manage team members.
- The Platform Team: The platform team that runs the service, keeps it securemaintains security, and provides cost reports the cost.
- The Project: The project itself pays only for what the resources its members actually use. See How you pay for it Research Platform Billing and Costs.
The
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Four Parts of the Platform
You will hear these four names . You only touch the first one day to dayused across the Science Cloud.
for you |
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| Research Platform | The browser-based workspace |
you open in your browser. This is where you | where you write code and do your work. |
| RPAdmin | The admin console |
. Project admins use it for | where Project Admins manage team members and budgets. |
| STAR | The login service. It checks |
who you are, one time, for | your identity once to give you access to everything. |
AI and front door | access point for approved |
AI ...
Permitted Data Types
The Research Platform is currently authorized for FISMA Low today data only. (FISMA is the US federal law that sets the security level levels for federal government systems. ; "Low" is the level for data where a security problem issue would have only a limited effectimpact.)So: put only
- The Rule: Only upload FISMA Low data
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- to the platform today. Do not
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- requires a higher level of protection.
- Coming Soon: The team is actively working to
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- add support for FISMA Moderate and ITAR
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- export-controlled defense
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- ). We will update this page as soon as those options are available.
Where to go next
