Have you ever wondered what it would be like to engineer alien worlds? That's exactly what ExoCosmos lets you do. Inspired by NASA's Eyes on Exoplanets project, we wanted to go beyond just visualizing distant planets - we wanted to let users actively modify their properties and explore how small changes could make them more Earth-like and potentially habitable.
Our project is currently live on: Internet
You should check it out!
What ExoCosmos Does
ExoCosmos is an interactive web-based simulator that combines real exoplanet data with 3D visualization and scientific modeling. Users can select from a collection of real exoplanets discovered by astronomers, view them in detailed 3D models, and then become "planet engineers" by adjusting four key properties through sliders: planetary mass, planetary radius, star mass, and distance from the star.
As users modify these parameters, the system calculates the Earth Similarity Index (ESI) in real-time, providing immediate feedback on how Earth-like their modified planet becomes. Each planet also comes with educational content including fascinating facts and explanations of why certain conditions make life more or less likely
The Technical Challenge
We faced some technical challenges along the way like implementing volumetric clouds,level of detail system and many others like:
Advanced Visual Effects
We implemented several sophisticated rendering techniques:
- Fresnel effects for realistic light reflection at glancing angles
- Ray marching to simulate light passing through volumes like clouds
- Procedural cloud generation using seed-based algorithms instead of pre-made images
- Volumetric clouds with layered depth and natural movement
- Noise techniques like Worley Noise and Fractal Brownian Motion for surface and atmospheric detail
Level of Detail System
One of our biggest technical achievements was creating a dynamic Level of Detail (LoD) system. As users zoom in on a planet, the clouds gradually fade away to reveal the detailed surface below, just like you'd see from a real spacecraft.
This required careful optimization of shader computations and managing rendering layers to balance visual quality with performance
Texture Mapping
We applied various maps to give planets a rich, lifelike feel:
- Displacement maps for surface elevation
- Normal maps for detailed surface texture
- Ambient occlusion maps for realistic shadowing
- Diffuse maps for color and material properties
The Science Behind the Interface
Making ExoCosmos scientifically accurate required extensive research into how scientists measure planetary habitability. We studied multiple metrics including ESI, RSI, BSI, PHI, and SEPHI.
After comparing various approaches, we chose an enhanced version of the Earth Similarity Index because it strikes the right balance between scientific accuracy and user-friendliness. The ESI is calculated from four key values: radius, density, escape velocity, and surface temperature, producing a score between 0 and 1 where Earth itself scores.
Real-Time Calculations
The challenge was condensing complex habitability models into something interactive. We created a system where four user-friendly sliders control six core factors behind the scenes. When users adjust the sliders, our system instantly calculates the ESI score and reflects changes in the 3D model in real-time.
This required careful state management to keep slider values, ESI calculations, and 3D model transformations perfectly synchronized while maintaining smooth performance without unnecessary re-renders.
Frontend Architecture
The web interface was built using Next.js with TailwindCSS for styling, emphasizing both performance and modern design, We created:
- A dynamic landing page explaining ExoCosmos' purpose
- An interactive planet catalog for browsing and selecting exoplanets
- Dedicated exploration pages where 3D planets are rendered alongside detailed information
We used component libraries like Aceternity UI and shadcn/ui to give the website a polished, modern feel while writing modular, reusable code for future scalability.
Major Challenges We Overcame
Performance Optimization
Rendering complex 3D planetary scenes with volumetric clouds, dynamic lighting, and real-time updates pushed our limits. We had to carefully optimize shader computations, manage rendering layers, and implement our LoD system to maintain smooth performance across different devices and browsers
State Management Complexity
Ensuring real-time updates between UI interactions and the 3D scene required sophisticated state management. We needed to keep all slider values, ESI calculations, and 3D model transformations in perfect sync while maintaining smoothness and avoiding unnecessary re-renders
Scientific Accuracy vs Usability
The most intellectually challenging aspect was translating complex habitability models into something user-friendly. Many scientific models involved multi-variable mathematics that were either too abstract or computationally heavy for real-time interaction. We had to find the sweet spot between scientific rigor and user experience.
What We Learned
This project was an incredible learning experience across multiple domains:
3D Web Development- We gained hands-on experience with Three.js, learning to build, animate, and texture realistic 3D environments. We dove deep into shader programming, lighting models, and optimization techniques for web-based 3D graphics
Space Science- We expanded our understanding of exoplanets and the factors that impact habitability. Learning about the Earth Similarity Index and other habitability metrics gave us new appreciation for the complexity of determining whether distant worlds could support life
User Experience Design- We learned how to make complex scientific concepts accessible through intuitive interfaces. The challenge of translating multi-dimensional scientific data into simple, interactive controls taught us valuable lessons about user-centered design.
Performance Engineering- Managing real-time 3D rendering while maintaining smooth interactions across different devices taught us about optimization strategies, from shader efficiency to state management patterns.
Future Directions
Expanded Dataset: We plan to integrate more real exoplanets using NASA's extensive databases, giving users access to a much wider universe of worlds to explore.
Advanced Metrics: Beyond ESI, we want to incorporate other habitability indices like SEPHI for more comprehensive analysis.
Educational Features: We're developing classroom-oriented features including guided tutorials, challenges, and assessment tools to make ExoCosmos a powerful educational resource.
Data Visualization: Interactive charts and graphs that change in real-time as users adjust parameters would provide deeper insights into how modifications affect habitability
Conclusion
ExoCosmos was a great learning experience for me I would like ot thanks my friends Ayush R. Nair, Debashish Nayak, Arjit Saxena without there help this project might not be completed.
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