AstroGenesis.wiki Dev Diary

• Chosen challenge: NASA Space Apps (Bioscience data → dynamic dashboard).Target vibe: UAC / “restricted access” UI, hexagon motifs, professional, space-center feel.
• Pivoted into a Habitable Map Concept, with domain AstroGenesis.wiki.

• Explored NASA/OSDR links and SB_publication_PMC.csv.
• Wrote and tested pmc_fetch.py to pull PMC content; encountered path and file issues.
• Recognized screenshots are the best real indicator of progress, inspiring the automated Dev Journey log system.

• Hosting stack: Cloudflare Pages + GitHub, with repositories synced and auto-deploying.
• Migrated DNS from Porkbun → Cloudflare successfully.
• Connected Codex for AI-assisted script generation and prompt-driven development.
• Working in a Windows environment (PowerShell), using a Python virtual environment for scripts.
• Solved environment issues (export vs $env:) for API key setup.

• UI mood: clean, modern space-ops aesthetic.
  • Hexagons, subtle neon tones, “Earth Science Division” / classified-access interface.
• Gathered inspiration imagery for futuristic, control-room style UIs.
• Designed splash screen concept: “Enter — Classified Personnel Only”.
• Began refining visual consistency:
  • Tidying overlapping elements
  • Unifying typography and card layout
  • Converting decorative “line boxes” into functional HUD components

• Goal: use AI-assisted summarization to turn NASA bioscience publications into digestible “insight cards.”
• Prefers database-light setup (JSON + KV) compatible with Cloudflare Pages (no backend).
• Building an automated Dev Journey system that converts screenshots into MDX entries.
• Planned transition toward a curated interactive dashboard experience showcasing summarized experiments.

• Maintains consistency with the Infinite Curios ecosystem aesthetic.
• Visual identity: cyber-sleek interface, HUD linework, dark theme with minimal but high-polish elements.
• Built with Tailwind + Next.js for fast, responsive iteration.
• Philosophy: merge storytelling, interactivity, and data transparency through design.

• Continue developing the automated Dev Journey generator (Python + MDX output).
• Summarize and classify NASA datasets into modular UI-ready components.
• Implement interactive map and knowledge graph prototypes for habitability insights.
• Refine typography, panel balance, and overall cohesion in UI layouts.
• Prepare README and final deliverables for NASA Space Apps submission.

Authored by Adam Johnston — 2025 NASA Space Apps Challenge (AstroGenesis.wiki).

The final development sprint focused on presentation, refinement, and integration — transforming AstroGenesis.wiki from a concept prototype into a coherent, visually immersive and submission-ready project. The emphasis shifted from experimentation to delivery: completing the demo, finalizing structure, tightening design cohesion, and ensuring everything was consistent across data, visuals, and narrative.

• Finalized the data summarization workflow — enabling NASA bioscience publications to be chunked, parsed, and summarized through Codex-driven scripts.
• Streamlined the pipeline for CSV → JSON → UI, ensuring that publication data could be represented in concise, readable cards.
• Clarified data categories (experiments, missions, biological outcomes, habitability indicators) to set up the foundation for future knowledge-graph visualization.
• Implemented error handling and cleanup across the Python tools, improving reliability for repeated runs during testing and iteration.

• Refined the UI aesthetic into a balanced hybrid of scientific dashboard and cinematic mission-control HUD.
• Adjusted layouts, typography, and component structure to remove visual clutter and overlapping elements discovered in the previous design review.
• Established a clear visual hierarchy within the dossier and insight cards, ensuring information reads cleanly on screen.
• Produced a cohesive colour and font system, balancing legibility with a futuristic feel — matching the Earth Science Division / UAC-style theme.
• Assembled a Canva moodboard and dossier to lock in visual consistency and tone across all assets.

• Completed the Dev Journey Automation Tool specification and prompt for Codex:
  • Automatically generates daily MDX logs and a visual timeline from screenshots.
  • Supports integration with Cloudflare Pages and GitHub Actions for seamless documentation.
  • Allows optional OCR and Markdown notes merging for richer captions.
• Structured the repository output paths (content/dev-journey/, public/dev-journey/, timeline.json) for clean automation and static site compatibility.
• Created detailed devjourney.config.yaml and workflow YAML templates for cross-project reusability.
• Wrote README.md and context documentation for reproducibility and transparency.

• Produced a 30-second YouTube demonstration video, showcasing the interface, data transformation, and overall concept of AstroGenesis.wiki.
• Crafted a public project summary emphasizing accessibility, visualization, and scientific storytelling.
• Designed appropriate YouTube metadata, including title, description, and tags aligned with NASA Space Apps criteria.
• Verified that the final domain, assets, and repository are all aligned with submission requirements and public access.

• Refined the thematic narrative:AstroGenesis.wiki explores how life adapts in space — reinterpreting NASA’s bioscience research as a living, visual story of habitability.
• Integrated the classified-access / Earth Science Division branding throughout the interface and promotional materials.
• Reinforced the dual identity of the project — both scientific and artistic — merging open data with design storytelling.

• Realized the strength of using automation and documentation as storytelling — screenshots and version logs became part of the narrative.
• Confirmed that AI-assisted summarization can transform scattered open data into a structured, human-readable experience.
• Recognized that clarity of interface and structure matters as much as creativity when presenting scientific information.
• Gained experience balancing rapid prototyping under time constraints with aesthetic polish and technical delivery.

• Extend the summarization pipeline into a live, queryable knowledge graph linking research across missions.
• Develop interactive map layers to visualize habitability metrics geographically or across celestial bodies.
• Integrate semantic search powered by embeddings for cross-publication discovery.
• Use the Dev Journey generator as a stand-alone open-source tool, adaptable for future hackathons and documentation workflows.

Authored by Adam Johnston — NASA Space Apps Challenge 2025 (AstroGenesis.wiki).