Portfolio Details

Mars Rover
Mars Rover

Mars Rover Photo Explorer

For the Mars Rover Photo Explorer project, I developed a JavaScript-based web application that allows users to explore photos taken by NASA's Mars rovers. The application prompts users to select a rover from three options, displays the mission’s start and end dates, and uses a date-picker widget to choose a specific day within the mission timeframe. When a date is selected, the app retrieves the first 25 photos captured on that day, displaying them as thumbnails. If fewer than 25 photos are available, it adjusts accordingly by clearing out any remaining empty slots. Each thumbnail is clickable, allowing users to view a full-sized version of the image, and includes a tooltip that displays the camera name, offering additional context for each shot.

Styling was an important part of the project, as I integrated a space-themed design inspired by SpaceX, creating a sleek, futuristic aesthetic. The form is intuitively structured, with validation messages that appear if no rover or date is selected, ensuring a user-friendly experience. The application uses AJAX to interact with NASA's Mars Rover Photo Database API, respecting the usage limitations associated with the DEMO API key. I also included a Clear button that removes any error messages or previous content, providing a fresh interface for each search. This project strengthened my skills in JavaScript, AJAX calls, and DOM manipulation, while delivering a unique, interactive way for users to explore Mars rover imagery.

Project Information