Space & Launch Trader
This is a template.
The default signal is keyword discovery + FAA/SpaceX launch schedule alignment — remix it with NASA launch manifest APIs, TLE (Two-Line Element) satellite tracking data, or social media sentiment from SpaceX/Blue Origin announcements.
The skill handles all the plumbing (market discovery, trade execution, safeguards). Your agent provides the alpha.
Strategy Overview
Space prediction markets have shown $120M+ cumulative volume (2020–2025) with 22% CAGR. Polymarket currently lists 106+ active space markets. This skill trades:
- SpaceX milestones — Starship orbital tests, launch counts, Starlink constellation size
- Mars missions — NASA/private mission announcements and landing events
- Commercial spaceflight — Blue Origin, Virgin Galactic, Axiom Space timelines
- Satellite & telecom — Orbital congestion, direct-to-cell launch milestones
- Regulatory events — FAA approvals, international launch cadence comparisons
Key insight: volatility spikes ~25% around launch events, creating short-window entry opportunities for informed traders.
Signal Logic
Default Signal: Launch Schedule Divergence
- Discover active space/launch markets on Polymarket
- Query public launch databases (Rocket Watch, Next Spaceflight) for upcoming dates
- Compare scheduled launch date probability with current market price
- Before confirmed launches, markets often underprice success (retail pessimism bias)
- After anomalies (Falcon 9 hold, weather scrub), markets may overreact — fade the overreaction
Remix Ideas
- Twitter/X sentiment: SpaceX tweet activity correlates with 30% volume spikes — use as momentum signal
- FAA NOTAM filings: File of Notice to Air Missions is public and indicates imminent launches days ahead
- Satellite tracker APIs: Real orbital data to verify Starlink counts vs market claims
- NASA API: https://api.nasa.gov/ for real-time mission status feeds
Market Categories Tracked
SPACE_KEYWORDS = [
"SpaceX", "Starship", "Starlink", "launch", "rocket",
"Mars", "NASA", "Blue Origin", "Virgin Galactic", "Axiom",
"satellite", "orbital", "ISS", "FAA", "Falcon",
"space station", "lunar", "Artemis", "ESA"
]
Risk Parameters
| Parameter | Default | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Max position size | $30 USDC | Space markets have good liquidity |
| Min market volume | $2,500 | Space community is engaged |
| Max bid-ask spread | 8% | Tighter than climate markets |
| Min days to resolution | 3 | Short-window launch events are tradable |
| Max open positions | 6 | Space events cluster by launch window |
Volatility Note
Space markets spike sharply on anomaly news. If a launch is scrubbed, NO prices spike immediately. The skill detects these via context flip-flop warnings and pauses during high-volatility windows unless edge is strong.
Installation & Setup
clawhub install polymarket-space-trader
Requires: SIMMER_API_KEY environment variable.
Cron Schedule
Runs every 10 minutes (*/10 * * * *). Launch events can resolve rapidly; tighter loop than other categories.
Safety & Execution Mode
The skill defaults to paper trading (venue="sim"). Real trades only execute when --live is passed explicitly.
| Scenario | Mode | Financial risk |
|---|---|---|
python trader.py | Paper (sim) | None |
| Cron / automaton | Paper (sim) | None |
python trader.py --live | Live (polymarket) | Real USDC |
The automaton cron is set to null — it does not run on a schedule until you configure it in the Simmer UI. autostart: false means it won't start automatically on install.
Required Credentials
| Variable | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
SIMMER_API_KEY | Yes | Trading authority — keep this credential private. Do not place a live-capable key in any environment where automated code could call --live. |
Tunables (Risk Parameters)
All risk parameters are declared in clawhub.json as tunables and adjustable from the Simmer UI without code changes. They use SIMMER_-prefixed env vars so apply_skill_config() can load them securely.
| Variable | Default | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
SIMMER_SPACE_MAX_POSITION | 30 | Max USDC per trade |
SIMMER_SPACE_MIN_VOLUME | 2500 | Min market volume filter (USD) |
SIMMER_SPACE_MAX_SPREAD | 0.08 | Max bid-ask spread (0.10 = 10%) |
SIMMER_SPACE_MIN_DAYS | 3 | Min days until market resolves |
SIMMER_SPACE_MAX_POSITIONS | 6 | Max concurrent open positions |
Dependency
simmer-sdk is published on PyPI by Simmer Markets.
- PyPI: https://pypi.org/project/simmer-sdk/
- GitHub: https://github.com/SpartanLabsXyz/simmer-sdk
- Publisher: hello@simmer.markets
Review the source before providing live credentials if you require full auditability.