Visualizing Spacecraft Magnetic Fields on the Web and in VR

Spacecraft magnetic fields are very complex in nature, and they must be understood and minimized, as they can mask or even mimic signals of interest. Current approaches simulate the 3D nature of the magnetic field and then visualize it in 2D images. However, limited 2D views hide much of the information in the complex spacecraft magnetic field. We describe a prototype system that allows for both an interactive 3D web experience as well as an immersive virtual reality (VR) experience to view and manipulate the 3D spacecraft magnetic field, allowing engineers and scientists to trace field lines, real-time in 3D. A preliminary user study validates the usefulness of the tool and guides further development.