Kosmoscope

Inspiration

Space history is packed with breathtaking moments, but they’re scattered across PDFs, Wikipedia tables, and dense mission logs. We wanted a way to feel the history of human spaceflight at a glance, by creating something a future astronaut could play with and instantly understand the story behind the data.

What it does

Kosmoscope is an interactive simulator that visualizes landmark manned space launches from the dawn of the Space Race to today. It turns raw mission facts into a living, explorable timeline.

Our goal is simple: bring the magic of spaceflight to life and make the complex memorable.

How we built it

Frontend: React + Vite for a fast, modern web app
3D & rendering: Three.js for the globe, rockets, flags, and rendering.
Backend: Python, requests and beautifulsoup for scraping data from Wikipedia.
Data layer: Structured mission data (program, date, site, vehicle, destination, references).
Repo: github.com/alex-h-tang/kosmoscope

Challenges we ran into

Data wrangling: Mission records are inconsistent across Wikipedia; normalizing names, dates, and coordinates was non-trivial.
Performance: Keeping 3D interactions responsive while rendering multiple trajectories and labels.
Storytelling vs. detail: Deciding how much technical depth to show without overwhelming users.

Accomplishments that we’re proud of

A cohesive 3D experience that stays smooth and intuitive.
A clear information model that turns data into easy visualizations.
A extendable foundation; new missions like last year's SpaceX launch can be added easily.

What’s next for Kosmoscope

Improved dataset: More missions, details, destinations, and historical context.
Improved mission data: Much of the parsed mission data isn't currently used on the frontend.
Filtering: By country/agency, program, vehicle, decade.
Education mode: Guided tours with mini-explanations for launches.
Accessibility & mobile design: Keyboard navigation, captions, and responsive layouts.
Future tech: VR/AR exploration and live overlays for upcoming launches.

Why it matters

We turn boring data into a memorable story. We hope to foster the curiosity that pushes humanity forward, and our target audience is anyone interested in mankind's space exploration (especially future astronauts). Every decision reflects our commitment to clarity, wonder, and learning.