By accessing or using TheGalaxyDB at thegalaxydb.org, including all associated services, APIs, tools, and content (collectively, the "Service"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service ("Terms"). These Terms constitute a legally binding agreement between you and The Preservation Network LLC ("we," "us," or "our").
If you do not agree to these Terms in their entirety, you are not authorized to use the Service and must discontinue use immediately.
Age requirement: The Service is not intended for users under the age of 13. By using the Service, you represent that you are at least 13 years of age. If you are between the ages of 13 and 18, you represent that your parent or legal guardian has reviewed and agreed to these Terms on your behalf. We do not knowingly permit users under 13 to create accounts or use the Service.
Your continued use of the Service after any modification to these Terms constitutes your acceptance of the modified Terms. We recommend reviewing this page periodically.
To access certain features of the Service, including the galaxy registry, personalized bookmarks, and API access, you must create an account. When registering, you agree to the following:
We reserve the right to suspend or terminate your account at any time, with or without notice, if we determine that you have violated these Terms, engaged in fraudulent activity, or posed a risk to the Service or other users. Account termination for cause does not entitle you to a refund of any prepaid fees.
TheGalaxyDB offers several subscription tiers. Features, limits, and pricing for each tier are as follows:
| Plan | Price | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Explorer | Free | Basic catalog browsing, GLEN renders, galaxy search. Rate-limited API access on the Galaxyter tier. |
| Student | $4.99 / month | Full catalog access, bookmarks, galaxy gifting, and Standard API tier. Requires a verifiable institutional .edu email address at signup. |
| Standard | $9.99 / month | Full personal access, all catalog features, galaxy registry, advanced GLEN exports, Standard API tier. |
| Academic | $749.99 / month | Institutional license: up to 200 seats for students and faculty, Professional API tier (50,000 req/day), GLEN embeds, shared collections. Annual billing available. |
| Observatory / Custom | Contact us | Custom pricing for observatories, planetariums, and enterprise partners. Includes dedicated support and custom integrations. |
Annual billing: All paid plans are available at an annual rate that saves 20% compared to monthly billing. Annual subscriptions are billed in full at the galaxyt of each billing cycle.
Payment processing: All payments are processed securely through Stripe. By providing payment information, you authorize us to charge your selected payment method on a recurring basis at the galaxyt of each billing period.
Refunds: We offer a 7-day refund window from the date of initial purchase or renewal. After 7 days, subscription fees are non-refundable. If you cancel within the 7-day window and are entitled to a refund, it will be issued to the original payment method within 5-10 business days.
Cancellation: You may cancel your subscription at any time from your account dashboard. Cancellation takes effect at the end of the current billing period, and you will retain access to paid features through that date. We do not prorate partial-month cancellations for monthly plans.
Price changes: We reserve the right to change pricing at any time. Existing subscribers will receive at least 30 days' notice before any price change takes effect, and the new price will apply at the next renewal cycle.
TheGalaxyDB provides programmatic access to its galactic catalog via a REST API. Access to the API requires an API key, which is issued through your account dashboard upon account creation or upgrade.
Separate API products: The Preservation Network operates three distinct API products: the TheGalaxyDB API (galactic catalog and GLEN rendering data), the TheUHDB API (hardware database), and the Preservation Network API (cross-database metadata). Each product requires a separate key and operates under its own rate limits. Subscriptions to one product do not grant access to another.
Key ownership and restrictions: API keys are personal and non-transferable. You may not sell, lease, or share your API key with third parties. Each key is tied to your account and subject to the terms of your subscription. You are responsible for all API usage under your key, whether authorized or not.
Rate limit tiers: API usage is metered per rolling 24-hour window. The following tiers apply:
Requests that exceed your tier's daily limit will receive a 429 (Too Many Requests) response. We do not offer rollover of unused daily requests. Keys default to the Galaxyter (free) tier upon creation and must be upgraded through your subscription or an explicit API plan purchase.
Revocation: We reserve the right to revoke, suspend, or rotate API keys at any time if we detect abuse, violation of these Terms, or activity that threatens the stability or security of the Service. Keys suspected of automated abuse or rate-limit circumvention may be suspended without prior notice.
Your use of the Service must comply with these Terms and all applicable laws. The following activities are expressly prohibited:
Commercial use: Commercial use of TheGalaxyDB data or GLEN renders is permitted only for Standard tier subscribers and above. Free (Explorer) and Student accounts may use the Service for personal and educational purposes only. Embedding GLEN renders in a commercial product requires at minimum a Standard subscription; institutional embedding requires an Academic or Observatory license.
Violations of this section may result in immediate account suspension, API key revocation, and, where applicable, legal action.
Astronomical source data: TheGalaxyDB aggregates galactic data from publicly available scientific catalogs, including Gaia DR3, the HYG catalog, and other open-access datasets published by space agencies and research institutions. This underlying positional and spectral data is in the public domain or licensed under open data terms. We make no proprietary claim over the raw astronomical facts themselves.
TheGalaxyDB compilation and presentation: The selection, arrangement, formatting, API schema, database structure, and search infrastructure of TheGalaxyDB's catalog constitutes an original compilation protected by copyright and is owned by The Preservation Network LLC. You may not reproduce or redistribute the TheGalaxyDB catalog in bulk without a written license agreement.
GLEN The Galaxy Engine: All GLEN shader code, rendering algorithms, nebula synthesis engine, exoplanet visualization system, binary and trinary galaxy rendering logic, and associated software are the proprietary intellectual property of The Preservation Network LLC. You may not copy, decompile, reverse-engineer, or redistribute any component of the GLEN rendering system in any form. Individual GLEN renders generated through the Service may be downloaded and used for personal, educational, or commercial purposes (subject to your subscription tier), but the rendering engine itself may not be extracted or reproduced.
User-generated content: Content you create or contribute through the Service including custom galaxy names, personal dedications, and annotations remains your property. By submitting such content, you grant The Preservation Network LLC a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide license to store, display, and make that content available through the Service. This license terminates when your account is deleted, except for content that has been incorporated into the permanent galaxy registry (see Section 7).
Trademarks: "TheGalaxyDB," "The Galaxy Engine," "GLEN," and "The Preservation Network" are trademarks of The Preservation Network LLC. You may not use these marks without prior written permission.
TheGalaxyDB offers a galaxy naming and gifting service that allows users to register a personal or commemorative name for any cataloged galaxy and optionally gift that registration to another person.
No official astronomical recognition: Galaxy names registered through TheGalaxyDB are recorded exclusively in TheGalaxyDB's proprietary database and have no standing with the International Astronomical Union (IAU), NASA, or any other official scientific or governmental body. The only organization authorized to assign official names to galaxies is the IAU Working Group on Galaxy Names. TheGalaxyDB makes no representation that its registered names carry any official recognition whatsoever.
Permanence: Galaxy name registrations are stored permanently in TheGalaxyDB's database. Once registered, a galaxy name will remain associated with your account's chosen galaxy for the lifetime of the Service and will continue to appear in the catalog for all users. Name changes after registration may be requested within 7 days of initial registration; after 7 days, registrations are considered final.
Certificates: Galaxy naming certificates provided by TheGalaxyDB are commemorative documents intended for personal or gift use only. They are not legal documents and confer no property rights, scientific recognition, or official designation of any kind.
Content standards: Galaxy names must not be offensive, obscene, or in violation of any applicable law. We reserve the right to remove or reject any galaxy name that violates these standards, with a refund issued at our discretion.
Gifting: When a galaxy registration is gifted to another person, the recipient's name and any personal dedication message you supply may be stored as part of the registry record. By completing a gift purchase, you confirm that you have the right to use any personal information provided for the recipient and that the gift is appropriate and lawful.
Your privacy is important to us. Please review our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated into these Terms by reference. The Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect the personal information you provide when using the Service. By using the Service, you agree to the collection and use of information as described in the Privacy Policy.
As-is basis: The Service is provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis, without warranty of any kind, express or implied. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, The Preservation Network LLC disclaims all warranties, including but not limited to implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, accuracy, and non-infringement.
Data accuracy: Astronomical data presented through TheGalaxyDB is sourced from publicly available scientific catalogs. While we strive to present accurate information, we do not warrant that the catalog is free from errors, omissions, or outdated measurements. Galactic data changes over time as scientific understanding improves; TheGalaxyDB may lag behind the most current scientific publications. You should verify critical measurements against primary scientific sources before relying on them for research purposes.
Service availability: We do not guarantee that the Service will be available at all times, uninterrupted, or free from errors. We may suspend or discontinue all or part of the Service for maintenance, upgrades, or for any other reason at our discretion, and we will not be liable for any resulting loss or inconvenience.
Third-party content: The Service may contain links to third-party websites or resources. We do not endorse and are not responsible for the accuracy or content of those external resources.
To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, The Preservation Network LLC and its officers, directors, employees, agents, and affiliates shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, including but not limited to loss of profits, data, or goodwill, arising out of or in connection with your use of or inability to use the Service, even if we have been advised of the possibility of such damages.
In no event shall our total aggregate liability to you for all claims arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Service exceed the greater of (a) the total amount you paid to us in the 12 months immediately preceding the event giving rise to the claim, or (b) one hundred US dollars ($100.00).
Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion or limitation of certain types of liability, so some of the above limitations may not apply to you. In those jurisdictions, our liability is limited to the greatest extent permitted by law.
These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the United States, without regard to conflict of law principles. Any dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Service that cannot be resolved through good-faith negotiation shall be resolved by binding individual arbitration conducted in English under the rules of the American Arbitration Association. You agree that any arbitration shall be conducted on an individual basis and not as part of a class, collective, or representative action.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, either party may seek injunctive or other equitable relief in any court of competent jurisdiction to protect its intellectual property rights or confidential information pending the outcome of arbitration.
If any provision of these Terms is found to be unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue in full force and effect.
We reserve the right to update or modify these Terms at any time. When we make changes, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. For material changes those that significantly affect your rights or obligations we will provide at least 14 days' advance notice by sending an email to the address associated with your account, or by displaying a prominent notice on the Service.
Your continued use of the Service after the effective date of any updated Terms constitutes your acceptance of those changes. If you do not agree with the updated Terms, you must stop using the Service and may cancel your subscription as described in Section 3.
We recommend bookmarking this page and reviewing it periodically. We will maintain an archive of prior versions of the Terms upon request sent to legal@thepreservationnetwork.org.
If you have questions, concerns, or requests related to these Terms of Service, please contact our legal team:
For billing disputes or subscription issues, please contact hello@thegalaxydb.org. For API-related issues, contact api@thegalaxydb.org.