> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.valar.space/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Operations Map

> Explore spacecraft, ground stations, and areas of interest in one geographic workspace

Open **Map** (`/map`) in the Operations sidebar to relate spacecraft trajectories, ground station sites, and areas of interest without changing workspaces.

<Note>
  Map is in an internal rollout. It appears for enabled `@valar.space` accounts in Operations. Accounts outside the rollout retain Ground Track, Coverage Map, and AOI Map; direct `/map` access explains that Map is not enabled.
</Note>

## Fleet and spacecraft focus

Use the **Spacecraft** filter, select spacecraft, then **Apply**. **Clear** followed by **Apply** returns to the fleet. Selecting a spacecraft in the Map browser or on the map updates this same filter.

* No selection shows the available fleet, including archived spacecraft. The filter lists active, selectable spacecraft, so its count can differ from the fleet count.
* One selection enters **Spacecraft focus**, where you can inspect that spacecraft's computed passes.
* Multiple selections show a filtered fleet. Station footprints require exactly one spacecraft.

The browser reports how many objects match its filters. Spacecraft colours match their positions, paths, and charts. Open **Legend** for the spacecraft colour key and an explanation of the layers.

## Layers

Open **Layers** to choose what the map displays. Layer visibility is independent of whether the browser is open.

| Layer                       | Meaning                                                                                                |
| --------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| **Spacecraft positions**    | Subsatellite points in 2D and spacecraft positions at physical altitude in 3D.                         |
| **Ground tracks**           | Optional trajectories. In 2D, dashed lines show the past and brighter lines emphasise the near future. |
| **Ground station sites**    | Station locations, available even without orbit or opportunity data.                                   |
| **AOI boundaries**          | Saved areas of interest in their assigned colours.                                                     |
| **Selected pass footprint** | The selected pass's approximate footprint, available only in spacecraft focus.                         |

Positions, station sites, and AOI boundaries are enabled by default; ground tracks are optional. The footprint layer is enabled but draws nothing until you select one spacecraft and a pass with usable geometry. Saved preferences or a shared URL can change these defaults.

The theme-aware monochrome basemap follows light/dark mode. There is no Monochrome / Colored control. The basemap provides geographic context; operational objects retain their colours.

## Map browser

The floating **Map browser** has **Spacecraft**, **Stations**, and **AOIs** tabs, with counts, search, and compact scrollable lists. Stations and AOIs have status filters; AOIs also have a tag filter. In spacecraft focus, **With opportunities only** limits sites or AOIs to those with stored opportunities in the selected window. Leave it unchecked to discover objects without opportunities.

Select a row to locate the object and open its details. **Back to list** preserves search and filters. **Clear filters** recovers from an empty filtered list; **Manage stations** and **New AOI** provide relevant next steps. **Hide browser** frees map space; **Show browser** restores it without changing layers.

Station and spacecraft details list **Computed pass windows**. Select one spacecraft and a selectable pass to seek to its time and load its footprint. The browser shows loading, unavailable, or stale geometry and the representative altitude when a footprint is available. **Clear pass** removes the pass selection.

<Warning>
  The footprint is an approximation at a representative spacecraft altitude for that pass. It does not change with playback altitude. Fleet views never draw station footprints, and missing geometry has no fixed-altitude fallback. Contact windows come from computed pass results; crossing a displayed polygon does not establish contact.
</Warning>

Opportunity warnings distinguish stale, incomplete, unavailable, and failed reads. **Retry** rereads stored results and reports the outcome; it does not launch a new computation. It is disabled while requests are running. Use **Open Passes timeline** to review station results. A dash does not prove that there are no opportunities.

## Views, navigation, and time

**2D / 3D** preserve spacecraft selection and time context. **ECEF** is Earth-fixed; **ECI** is available in 3D. In ECI, a **GCRF** badge identifies the particular Earth-centered inertial frame used by the trajectory. Hover the badge for its explanation. Geographic station, AOI, and footprint overlays remain attached to Earth.

**Reset view** releases tracking and recentres the camera while staying on Map and retaining spacecraft selection. The workspace **Home** breadcrumb navigates away; it is a separate action. **Charts** opens the trajectory charts.

Use the time-range preset and past/future controls to choose the loaded interval. Playback supports forward/reverse, pause, seeking, reset to start, real-time sync, and speed selection. Paths show up to one hour behind and 24 hours ahead of the playhead, bounded by available orbit data. While a new window loads, the time display explains that it is waiting for trajectory data. Missing trajectory time is not a computed timestamp.

See [Ground Track playback and coordinates](/features/3d-ground-track#timeline) for the shared timeline controls and data limits. Orbit-age warnings remain in the application footer. Their counts combine the Operations fleet and page-specific review and update with refreshed orbit data and selection. **View affected spacecraft** opens the drawer; **Escape** closes it. Escape also dismisses Layers and Legend.

## Create or import an AOI

Choose **New AOI** to open the dedicated 2D creation workflow. Playback pauses while editing. Draw an area, enter coordinates, or import GeoJSON or KML/KMZ using the existing AOI tools. Finishing returns to Map and selects the created AOI; cancelling returns without creating one. Saved AOIs remain viewable in both 2D and 3D. **Details & edit** opens an AOI's management view.

See [AOI creation and management](/features/areas-of-interest/map) for the supported shapes and import workflow.

## Share and restore a view

Copy the browser URL to share the selection and controls. Layers, browser visibility, view, frame, and speed are also remembered locally. Explicit URL values take precedence over saved preferences.

| Parameter         | Value                                                                                              |
| ----------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `spacecraft`      | Comma-separated spacecraft IDs; omitted means fleet.                                               |
| `layers`          | Comma-separated `spacecraft`, `tracks`, `stations`, `aois`, `footprint`; an empty value hides all. |
| `browse`          | `spacecraft`, `station`, or `aoi`.                                                                 |
| `browser`         | `hidden` collapses the browser.                                                                    |
| `object`          | `spacecraft:<id>`, `station:<id>`, or `aoi:<id>`.                                                  |
| `pass`            | A computed pass ID for the selected spacecraft and window.                                         |
| `epoch`           | ISO UTC epoch to seek to, within the loaded trajectories.                                          |
| `mode` / `frame`  | `2D` or `3D`; `ECEF` or `ECI` (3D only).                                                           |
| `range`           | `day`, `week`, or `month`; default `week`.                                                         |
| `past` / `future` | Non-negative amounts within the preset limits; hours for `day`, days otherwise.                    |
| `speed`           | A supported playback multiplier, such as `300`.                                                    |
| `new`             | `method` opens AOI creation.                                                                       |

For accounts in the rollout, `/orbits/ground-track`, `/passes/coverage-map`, and `/aoi/map` open Map with their relevant context. Existing AOI selection and creation links remain supported. Pass tables, timelines, management screens, and focused inspectors remain available.