Space Hub

NEXUS Space Hub – All of Space, One Command Center.

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Inspiration

The cosmos has always inspired awe—but real-time space data is scattered across dozens of APIs, each with its own format and interface. We dreamed of a single “mission control” where hobbyists, students, educators, and researchers could explore launches, track satellites, and discover celestial wonders without jumping between a dozen sites. The recent boom in commercial space ventures (SpaceX, Blue Origin, Virgin Galactic) and the proliferation of open APIs made the timing perfect to bring the universe together under one roof.

What it does

  • AI-Powered Chatbot: Ask plain-English questions like “When’s the next ISRO launch?” and get concise, sourced answers.
  • Mission Dashboard: Live status and countdowns for NASA, SpaceX, ISRO, and other agencies’ missions.
  • Space Image Feed: Daily Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD) and curated imagery gallery.
  • Interactive Kid Mode: 3D playground with fact cards, simple games, and voice narration to spark young imaginations.
  • Research Mode (Pro): Direct access to mission documents, technical briefs, and consolidated datasets.
  • Satellite & ISS Tracker: Real-time orbital paths on an interactive globe.

How we built it

  1. Frontend: React + Vite + TailwindCSS for responsive layouts, Framer Motion for smooth animations
  2. 3D & Visualization: Three.js powering immersive playgrounds and globe views
  3. AI/Chat: Gemini API with LangChain for prompt chaining and fallback LLM support
  4. Voice: Web Speech API delivering narrated fact cards in Kid Mode
  5. Backend & Caching: Firebase for user data, GitHub-hosted JSON files and edge caching layers to handle rate-limited APIs
  6. APIs Integrated:
    • NASA Open APIs (APOD, Mars Weather, ISS tracking)
    • SpaceX REST API (launches, missions, rocket specs)
    • TheSpaceDevs Launch Library (unified launch events)
    • WhereTheISS.at & TLE API (satellite telemetry)
    • AstroCats & Arcsecond.io (astronomical catalogs)

Challenges we ran into

  • Data Fragmentation: Each API had its own schema, rate limits, and authentication quirks—merging them into a single data model took extensive normalization.
  • Caching & Failover: Some endpoints throttled heavy use, so we built edge-cached JSON layers with automatic fallbacks to ensure dashboard continuity.
  • Balancing Simplicity vs. Depth: Kid Mode demanded bright visuals and guided flows, while Research Mode needed dense, unfiltered data—designing one UI to serve both was a creative puzzle.

Accomplishments that we’re proud of

  • Successfully unified 7+ major space APIs into a seamless user experience.
  • Developed a modular UX that automatically adapts for children, enthusiasts, and professionals.
  • Launched an AI chatbot with a 95%+ answer satisfaction rate in private beta.
  • Created the first voice-narrated space playground, making complex concepts accessible to young learners.

What we learned

  • Normalization is key: A robust data layer with consistent schemas unlocks limitless frontend possibilities.
  • Caching gauntlet: Effective edge caching with transparent fallbacks is essential when relying on external APIs.
  • Audience empathy: Kids crave interactivity and color; researchers demand precision and speed—both mindsets must inform design.

What’s next for Space Hub

  • Expand agency coverage: Add ESA, JAXA, and CNSA datasets.
  • User profiles & personalization: Let users save favorite missions, set alerts, and track their own “space journey.”
  • Augmented Reality mode: Overlay planetary positions onto your phone camera for real-world stargazing.
  • Offline mode: Cache essential data for use in classrooms and remote locations without internet access.
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