Planetary data / Introductory note
Worlds built from measurements.
The landscape below the spacecraft begins with observations of the real Solar System.
A physical place to fly
Planetary data gives exploration a connection to real places. Departure 2150 uses NASA and other scientific datasets as a foundation for its worlds, with the aim of using the best defensible data available for release.
The Mars flight footage on the homepage shows what that foundation can feel like from the cockpit. It is a view from the current simulation, while the account of its underlying terrain data deserves a more careful treatment of sources and limitations.
What we know, and what we do not
Coverage and resolution vary between worlds. A measured global elevation model provides different evidence from partial imaging or a body’s measured overall shape. Those differences matter when describing the fidelity of a landscape.
Future source notes will identify the relevant data products and describe gaps or fallbacks. A beautiful view is also an opportunity to explain the limits of what has been observed.
From data to a flight
The recorded Mars flyby is a starting point for that explanation. A later technical feature can connect the visible terrain to its source products and show how the data reaches the simulation. Until that work is complete, we are keeping the video’s caption observational rather than claiming a particular terrain product or measured altitude.