Life on Mars
My app Life on Mars stemmed from the futuristic idea that humans on Mars need a news source. They can check the weather, view photos from rovers in their area, and get the latest scoop. Humans may not be there yet, but I still loved the concept and wanted to build the application.
Try it here: Life on Mars
Project Planning
I’ve learned quickly that very detailed planning makes building an app much easier. The wireframes and component hierarchy with routes that I created ensured my success in completing the project.
Features
The Life on Mars app highlights the Mars rover cameras. Click on a camera to see the latest images.
Highs and Lows
One of the major issues I ran into was getting information from the Mars InSight Lander. I was confident that I was using the API and fetch call correctly, but I wasn’t getting data back. Further research revealed that the lander is in hibernation. I used a placeholder weather API that I will update if and when InSight is back up and running.
I’m also getting comfortable with the highs and lows of coding. I like having a problem to solve, sitting with it, then writing the block of code that makes something function. The ah-ha moments are worth the struggle.
Future Features
Future plans include better mobile functionality and cleaner design.