Meteor-Madness-Space-Axolotls

Project Overview and Functionality

This project is an interactive simulation and visualization platform composed of two main sections:

1. Orbiting Objects Section: This part connects in real-time to NASA's Asteroids - NeoWs API to retrieve data on Near-Earth Objects (NEOs) like asteroids and comets. It processes this information to model their orbital trajectories and calculates the probability of impact.

2. Collision Simulation Section: This allows users to run a hypothetical impact scenario. They can configure key variables such as the impact location on Earth, and the asteroid's size, density, and velocity. Based on these parameters, the system simulates and visualizes the physical consequences:

   • The size and depth of the crater.

   • The energy released, equivalent to megatons of TNT.

   • Devastating side effects such as earthquakes and tsunamis generated by the impact.

Benefits and Intended Impact

• Benefits: It translates complex astronomical data and physics principles into an easy-to-understand visual experience. It offers a memorable and interactive learning tool, superior to static teaching methods.

• Intended Impact: The main goal is to foster public interest in science, astronomy, and the importance of planetary defense. We seek to raise awareness about the risks of asteroid impacts in a tangible way, by showing the magnitude of these events and justifying the need for detection and monitoring programs.

Deployment

1. Installing dependencies

To deploy this project on your local machine you will need to:

1.1 Install Python v3.13

You can download it here

1.2 Install Node.js v22.20

You can download it here

2. Set up environment

2.1 Install Node.js dependencies

1. Open a terminal on the ./front-end directory

2. Run the npm install command and it should automatically install all required dependencies

2.2 Install Python dependencies

1. Open a terminal on the ./back-end directory

2. Create a new virtual environment by using the command python -m venv venv

3. Activate the virtual environment

   1. On Linux/MacOS: source venv/bin/activate

   2. On Windows: venv\Scripts\activate

4. Run the setup.py: python setup.py

3. Run the Server

3.1 Run the Python back-end

1. Open a terminal on the ./back-end directory

2. Activate the previously created virtual environment

3. Run app.py: python app.py

4. Keep it running on the background

3.2 Run the Node.js front-end

1. Open a terminal on the ./back-end directory

2. Run the npm start command

3. You can now access the site on localhost:3000 !