Solution for Remote Observation of Space
Owning telescopes in Chile, the Canary Islands, and Australia our clients wanted to help people learn from professionals about space and connect them through communal universe exploration, using an online web-based solution as an astronomy hub. In addition, the client wanted to rebuild and upgrade the existing platform according to modern trends in the IT world.
Inoxoft provides an online astronomy platform that creates an ecosystem with 24-hour live coverage of the night sky for exploring space. A platform provides the possibility to book access to telescopes for individual observation, follow live streams, topic-related clubs, and take part in space quests. will provide students and members.
The platform works on a subscription basis. It gives an opportunity for users to explore space objects using a distant telescope and make astronomy exceptionally easy, engaging, and affordable for anyone who desires to see and explore space for themselves.
- Constant access to distant telescopes
- Communicating with amateur astronomers
- Finding and booking telescope observations
- Viewing astronomical catalog
- Capturing and sharing images
- Creating and participating in topic-related clubs
- Watching live streams and publishing articles
- Learning through the gamification system
- Nightly live audio feed
Full Story
Inoxoft Solution
It has been almost 100 years since astronomer Edwin Hubble changed our understanding of the universe. Yet, the interest in space mystery is more appealing than ever! The rapid growth in the popularity of the client's platform required constant up-to-date changes. What's more, it demanded the implementation of changes to be completed in accordance with a timer of the platform's availability set for the community.
The platform served as a flagship observatory through which professional, amateur, and citizen scientists could remotely control the telescopes. An astronomical educational hub aimed to help with studying and discovering space with access to 6 distant telescopes. People can join a fellowship of amateur astronomers commanding the platform's telescopes to image 40,000+ objects in the night sky, crowdsource discoveries and co-produce amazing live shows for the public.
The platform works on a subscription basis. After buying a subscription, the user profile is created. It gives an opportunity to explore space objects using a distant telescope booked by the user beforehand. As a member, you can schedule time and robotically control the telescope.
Users can point the telescope at any object in the night sky and not only see this event live as it occurs but capture and share images, including FITS files. They have 4 methods to find and book telescope observations within the system:
- Choose popular objects;
- Search through the astronomical catalogs;
- Use coordinates;
- Choose a constellation.
Once you are in, you can create and participate in Q&A sessions with astronomers and topic-related clubs: collaborate with members to crowdsource detection and monitoring of Near-Earth Asteroids, comets, supernovae, and other celestial discoveries.
Watching live streams is another spectacular feature. Missile launches, lunar eclipses – the most important events are in one place! All users can write articles and share media files. Yet, the subscriber has an opportunity to write not only scientific pieces but create their own fictional stories called illuminations.
The project also has its ecosystem for studying the cosmos with gamification based on points and ranks. The latter ones help people to move higher in the hierarchical system and earn bonuses.
None of the possible challenges could overcome our desire to explore every corner of the space! Even though the platform was designed on the old technology stack, Inoxoft’s team managed to professionally enhance and modernize the product.
We adjusted working hours to night shifts when observation via telescopes was activated. We also customized the video player and integrated it with the video-sharing website according to constantly changeable external policies. Finally, the client received the visible transition of switching between telescopes and animation with SVG support.
Results
Inoxoft’s team successfully managed to achieve the next results:
- Smooth functionality and security of the system
- Fast and Scalable web platform front-end renewal, based on ReactJS that makes the development adapted to further changes of high-quality code
- Successfully implemented animation with Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG)
- Personalized video player for enhancing user experience to create a feeling of constant presence on the platform
- Realized the client's specific UI design preferences during the front-end development
- Designed learning on the platform through gamification with quests
