Missile Stimulation

A TypeScript + Three.js sandbox for visualizing ballistic trajectories. The first milestone is intentionally scoped to educational physics: gravity, aerodynamic drag, wind, and a simple powered-thrust phase.

What is implemented

• 3D trajectory visualization with Three.js.
• Orbit camera, ground grid, launch marker, impact marker, and animated projectile marker.
• Real-time playback telemetry for current velocity and acceleration magnitudes plus vector components.
• Presets for a generic projectile, mortar round, artillery shell, and a powered rocket phase.
• Controls for launch speed, elevation, azimuth, mass, drag coefficient, wind, thrust, and burn time.
• Separate projectile-style and booster-style starts:
  • projectiles can begin with high muzzle velocity and no thrust
  • boosters can begin at zero velocity and accelerate under thrust
• Thrust direction modes: current velocity vector or launch vector.
• Thrust curve modes: constant thrust or linear ramp-up.
• Selectable physics fidelity:
  • flat or spherical Earth
  • constant or altitude-dependent air density
  • semi-implicit Euler or RK4 integration
• Core physics separated from rendering so additional vehicle models can be added later.

Run locally

npm install
npm run dev

Then open the Vite URL printed in the terminal.

Build

npm run build

Project structure

docs/
  ballistic-modeling-factors.md  Roadmap of physical and environmental factors
src/
  domain/
    presets.ts              Simulation presets and default values
  physics/
    simulation.ts           Integration loop and force model
    vector.ts               Small vector math helpers
  rendering/
    trajectoryScene.ts      Three.js scene and animation
  ui/
    controls.ts             DOM form binding and metrics
  main.ts                   App entry point

Next modeling steps

See docs/ballistic-modeling-factors.md for the broader modeling checklist.

• Add Earth rotation and Coriolis terms for long-range trajectories.
• Add mass flow and staging for booster-style vehicles.
• Add a layered atmosphere model with temperature, pressure, and speed-of-sound estimates.
• Add separate vehicle profiles for shells, rockets, and glide bodies.
• Add terrain collision instead of flat-ground impact only.
• Add comparison mode for multiple trajectories.

Current limitations

• The simulator is not calibrated against real weapon systems.
• Wind is modeled as a constant local vector, not a weather field.
• Drag coefficient is fixed over the whole flight instead of varying by Mach number.
• Powered flight uses thrust along the current velocity vector; it is not guidance logic.