Orbital Distances Visualizer

Jan 17, 2025

So that’s how it started. On a boring weekend..

This is an open-source tool born out of my obsession with memorizing distances in space. It’s a visualizer to help you get an intuitive feel for how far orbits and other space distances actually go.

Try it out here!

I’m documenting all the meaningful distances up to the orbit of the Moon. Think of it as a fun way to explore how far some of these orbits go, in a way that makes sense visually.

How to Run It Locally

This is a simple React app, and getting started is super easy! Here’s what you need to do:

git clone https://github.com/sevendaystoglory/deep-impact
npm install
npm start

How You Can Contribute

This app is a work in progress, and I’d love for anyone to contribute! Here’s how you can help:

A. Add More Cool Distances Got interesting distances in mind? Add them to the app! Just make sure to include sources for any data you add in the data file.

B. Improve the UI The current UI is simple, but there’s room for so much more! Some ideas I’m thinking of implementig myself (and you can find more in the ideas file):

Temperature profile of the atmosphere Animations for asteroid sizes, speeds, and disintegration distances Any other useful or fun features that make exploring space distances more engaging. This project is built for learning and fun, so don’t hesitate to dive in. Let’s make exploring space distances intuitive and exciting for everyone!

Feel free to suggest improvements, report bugs, or share ideas.