NEO SPHERXE - Near-Earth Object Visualization Platform

Project Overview

NEO SPHERXE is an interactive web application inspired by the NASA Space Apps Challenge. The platform provides real-time visualization and tracking of Near-Earth Objects (NEOs), including asteroids and potentially hazardous objects, using NASA's data resources and APIs.

Key Features

• Interactive 3D Solar System: Real-time visualization of planets, NEOs, and their orbits
• Multiple Object Categories:
  • Major Solar System Bodies
  • Dwarf Planets
  • Near-Earth Asteroids (NEAs)
  • Potentially Hazardous Asteroids (PHAs)
• Advanced Controls:
  • Time manipulation (pause, play, speed adjustment)
  • Customizable object visibility
  • Interactive camera controls
  • Object labels and orbit visualization
• Risk Assessment: Real-time monitoring and risk level evaluation of approaching NEOs
• Detailed Information: Comprehensive data about celestial objects including orbital parameters and physical characteristics

Technology Stack

• Frontend Framework: React
• 3D Rendering: Three.js with React Three Fiber
• State Management: React Hooks
• UI Components: TailwindCSS
• 3D Models & Effects: React Three Drei
• Icons: FontAwesome
• Data Sources: NASA APIs and Resources

Installation

Prerequisites

• Node.js (v16.0.0 or higher)
• npm or yarn
• Git

Setup Instructions

1. Clone the Repository:

   git clone https://github.com/your-username/NEO_SPHERXE.git
   cd NEO_SPHERXE

2. Install Dependencies:

   npm install
   # or
   yarn install

3. Environment Setup:

   • Create a .env file in the root directory
   • Add necessary environment variables (if any)

4. Start Development Server:

   npm run dev
   # or
   yarn dev

Usage Guide

1. Navigation:

   • Use mouse/trackpad to rotate the view
   • Scroll to zoom in/out
   • Right-click and drag to pan

2. Object Controls:

   • Toggle visibility of different celestial bodies using the layers panel
   • Click on objects to view detailed information
   • Use the time controller to adjust simulation speed

3. Risk Assessment:

   • Access the risk level dashboard to view approaching NEOs
   • Monitor threat levels and approach dates
   • Filter objects based on risk categories

Project Structure

NEO_SPHERXE/
├── src/
│   ├── components/     # React components
│   ├── hooks/         # Custom React hooks
│   ├── utilities/     # Helper functions
│   ├── assets/        # Static resources
├── public/            # Public assets
└── ...

Contributing

1. Fork the repository
2. Create your feature branch (git checkout -b feature/AmazingFeature)
3. Commit your changes (git commit -m 'Add some AmazingFeature')
4. Push to the branch (git push origin feature/AmazingFeature)
5. Open a Pull Request

Technical Details

Orbital Calculations

The application uses Kepler's orbital mechanics for precise celestial body positioning:

Kepler's Orbital Elements

$$\begin{align*} \text{where:}\\ a &: \text{Semi-major axis}\\ e &: \text{Eccentricity}\\ i &: \text{Inclination}\\ \Omega &: \text{Longitude of ascending node}\\ \omega &: \text{Argument of periapsis}\\ M &: \text{Mean anomaly} \end{align*}$$

Position Calculations

1. Eccentric Anomaly (E) from Mean Anomaly (M): $M = E - e\sin(E)$ (Kepler's Equation)

2. True Anomaly (ν) from Eccentric Anomaly: $\nu = 2\arctan\left(\sqrt{\frac{1+e}{1-e}}\tan\frac{E}{2}\right)$

3. Radius Vector (r): $r = a(1-e\cos(E))$

4. Cartesian Coordinates:

$$\begin{align*} x &= r[\cos(\Omega)\cos(\omega + \nu) - \sin(\Omega)\sin(\omega + \nu)\cos(i)]\\ y &= r[\sin(\Omega)\cos(\omega + \nu) + \cos(\Omega)\sin(\omega + \nu)\cos(i)]\\ z &= r\sin(\omega + \nu)\sin(i) \end{align*}$$

Risk Assessment Parameters

$$\begin{align*} \text{Risk Level} &= f(d, v, s, m)\\ \text{where:}\\ d &: \text{Distance from Earth (AU)}\\ v &: \text{Relative velocity (km/s)}\\ s &: \text{Object size (meters)}\\ m &: \text{MOID (Minimum Orbit Intersection Distance)} \end{align*}$$

Data Sources

1. NASA APIs Used:

   • JPL Small-Body Database
   • NEO Earth Close Approaches

2. Update Frequency:

   • Real-time calculations for object positions
   • Daily updates for NEO risk assessments
   • Hourly updates for close approach data

Team Members

Core Team

• Salma Saad

  • Role: Team Leader
  • LinkedIn: Salma Saad
  • Email: [email protected]

• Ahmed Khaled Fathi

  • Role: Frontend Developer
  • GitHub: AhmedKhaledp-0
  • Email: [email protected]

• Raghad Mahmoud

  • Role: UI/UX Designer
  • LinkedIn: Raghad Mahmoud
  • Behance: Portfolio
  • Email: [email protected]

• Basma Sabry Elhussieni

  • Role: Backend and Data Analyzer
  • LinkedIn: Basma Sabry
  • GitHub: Basma-90

• Mohamed Ahmed Badry

  • Role: Backend and Data Analyzer
  • LinkedIn: Mohamed Badry

• Abd Elhadi Elsayed

  • Role: Video Editor, Data Collection
  • Email: [email protected]

Performance Optimizations

1. Rendering Optimizations:

   • Instance mesh batching
   • Dynamic level of detail (LOD)
   • Frustum culling
   • Texture compression

2. Calculation Optimizations:

   • Web Workers for heavy calculations
   • Memoization of orbital parameters
   • Efficient data structures for position tracking

3. Data Management:

   • Client-side caching
   • Progressive loading
   • Optimized state management

Known Limitations

1. Computational Constraints:

   • Maximum of 1000 simultaneous NEO objects
   • Time simulation limited to ±100 years from present
   • Position accuracy decreases with prediction distance

2. Browser Requirements:

   • WebGL 2.0 support required
   • Minimum 4GB RAM recommended
   • Modern browser (Chrome 80+, Firefox 75+, Safari 13+)