OpenSpace OpenSpace
  • About
    • About OpenSpaceThe project, its origins, and the institutions behind it.
    • TeamThe people behind the OpenSpace project.
    • PartnersThe organizations collaborating with the OpenSpace project.
    • ImpactGlobal reach, startup data, and NASA annual reports.
    • ResearchMaster’s theses and dissertations from the LiU program.
    • Brand & AttributionLogos, credit guidelines, and usage policy.
  • Features
    • Globe BrowsingReal planetary surfaces from spacecraft mission data.
    • Mission VisualizationsFly with New Horizons, JWST, Rosetta, and more.
    • HeliophysicsSolar wind, CMEs, and magnetosphere visualization.
    • Versatile Display SupportDomes, multi-projector walls, and networked sessions.
  • Community
    • Use CasesExamples of how institutions use OpenSpace.
    • EventsUpcoming events and conferences.
    • User MeetingsBuild your skills and connect with users at our user meetings.
    • SlackAsk questions and share ideas with the OpenSpace community.
    • ContactSend a message or get support from the team.
    • ContributeSee how you can contribute to the project.
  • Resources
    • DocumentationGetting Started guide, configuration, and API details.
    • TutorialsStep-by-step walkthroughs for new users.
    • HubCommunity-shared assets, profiles, and content.
    • Server StatusLive uptime for OpenSpace data services.
  • Download

Fly from the Milky Way to a single crater

Features › Globe Browsing

OpenSpace streams real spacecraft imagery and elevation data from NASA missions. Cross fifteen orders of magnitude in one uncut, uninterrupted flight.

Planetary surface rendering

Globe Browsing is the planetary surface rendering engine at the heart of OpenSpace. It streams high-resolution imagery and elevation data from real spacecraft missions (HiRISE, MOLA, LRO, Cassini) and renders them continuously at every scale. No load screens. No transitions. No second application.

Real mission data

Every surface is built from actual spacecraft imagery and elevation measurements: HiRISE and MOLA for Mars, LRO for the Moon, Cassini for the outer planets. No artist approximations.

Continuous at every scale

Fly from interstellar space to the texture of Martian regolith in one uncut flight, fifteen orders of magnitude with no load screens, no transitions, no second application.

Live layer blending

Stack base imagery, colorized elevation, scientific overlays, and labels simultaneously. Toggle and blend layers live during a presentation without pausing or switching scenes.

Featured worlds

Andes Mountains rendered in OpenSpace
01 Earth

Earth's terrain up close

ESRI

Fly the length of the Andes, descend into the Mariana Trench, or trace a river delta from source to sea. Real satellite imagery and elevation data give every mountain range, canyon, and coastline its true shape and scale.

The Moon rendered in OpenSpace with LRO imagery
02 Moon

The Moon in detail

LRO · LOLA · Kaguya

Visit Apollo landing sites, trace the rilles of Vallis Schröteri, or zoom to the meter-scale surface texture of the lunar highlands. LRO imagery and LOLA elevation data render the Moon at full mission resolution.

HiRISE surface imagery of Mars — terrain detail near Jezero Crater
03 Mars

Mars at full resolution

HiRISE · MOLA · CTX

Land at Jezero Crater, follow Perseverance's traverse, then pull back to the full planet — without leaving the application. HiRISE surface imagery and MOLA elevation data compose a continuous view from orbit to terrain.

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Data layers

Stack and reveal live

Multiple data layers can be active at once and blended in real time. A presenter can toggle them live during a show with no pausing, no switching scenes, and no prerendering needed.

  • Base imagery from multiple spacecraft missions
  • Colorized elevation from MOLA, LOLA, and radar altimetry
  • Scientific overlays including mineral maps, temperature, and atmospheric data
  • Time-varying data: watch ice caps advance and retreat
  • Toggleable labels and graticules at any scale
Click to cycle layers
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Start exploring planetary surfaces

Globe Browsing is built into every copy of OpenSpace. Download free, or browse the documentation to see what data is available for each world.

Download OpenSpace Documentation
OpenSpace

Open-source astronomy visualization

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About
  • About OpenSpace
  • Team
  • Partners
  • Impact
  • Research
  • Brand & Attribution
Features
  • Globe Browsing
  • Mission Visualizations
  • Heliophysics
  • Display Support
Community
  • Use Cases
  • Events
  • Annual Meetings
  • Slack
  • Contact
  • Contribute
Resources
  • Documentation
  • Tutorials
  • Hub
  • Server Status
Install
  • Version 0.22.0
  • Previous Versions
Status unavailable
© OpenSpace Project Team Available under the MIT License