diff --git a/src/renderer.cpp b/src/renderer.cpp
index f077ddb..22712b7 100644
--- a/src/renderer.cpp
+++ b/src/renderer.cpp
@@ -6,6 +6,51 @@
 // Forward declarations
 static Vector3 sim_to_render(Vec3 pos, double scale);
 
+static void draw_child_indicator(Vector2 screen_pos, const char* name, Color color) {
+    const float radius = 20.0f;
+
+    DrawCircleLinesV(screen_pos, radius, color);
+
+    int font_size = 10;
+    int text_width = MeasureText(name, font_size);
+    Vector2 text_pos = {screen_pos.x - text_width/2, screen_pos.y - font_size/2};
+    DrawText(name, (int)text_pos.x, (int)text_pos.y, font_size, color);
+}
+
+void render_child_indicators(SimulationState* sim, RenderState* render_state) {
+    if (render_state->selected_body_index < 0 || render_state->selected_body_index >= sim->body_count) {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    CelestialBody* selected = &sim->bodies[render_state->selected_body_index];
+    Color body_color = WHITE;
+    Color craft_color = (Color){0, 255, 255, 255};
+
+    // Render child body indicators
+    for (int i = 0; i < sim->body_count; i++) {
+        CelestialBody* child = &sim->bodies[i];
+        if (child->parent_index == render_state->selected_body_index) {
+            Vec3 child_rel = vec3_sub(child->global_position, selected->global_position);
+            Vector3 child_pos_3d = sim_to_render(child_rel, render_state->distance_scale);
+            Vector2 screen_pos = GetWorldToScreen(child_pos_3d, render_state->camera);
+
+            draw_child_indicator(screen_pos, child->name, body_color);
+        }
+    }
+
+    // Render child spacecraft indicators
+    for (int i = 0; i < sim->craft_count; i++) {
+        Spacecraft* craft = &sim->spacecraft[i];
+        if (craft->parent_index == render_state->selected_body_index) {
+            Vec3 craft_rel = vec3_sub(craft->global_position, selected->global_position);
+            Vector3 craft_pos_3d = sim_to_render(craft_rel, render_state->distance_scale);
+            Vector2 screen_pos = GetWorldToScreen(craft_pos_3d, render_state->camera);
+
+            draw_child_indicator(screen_pos, craft->name, craft_color);
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 // Initialize raylib window
 void init_renderer(int width, int height, const char* title) {
     InitWindow(width, height, title);
@@ -109,9 +154,14 @@ static bool has_target_changed(RenderState* render_state) {
 static void update_camera_target(RenderState* render_state, SimulationState* sim) {
     if (render_state->selected_body_index >= 0) {
         CelestialBody* body = &sim->bodies[render_state->selected_body_index];
-        Vector3 body_pos = sim_to_render(body->global_position, render_state->distance_scale);
-        render_state->camera.target = body_pos;
-        render_state->camera.position = Vector3Add(body_pos, render_state->camera_offset);
+        
+        // Camera target is at origin for selected body
+        render_state->camera.target = (Vector3){0, 0, 0};
+        
+        // Set initial camera position based on children distance
+        float distance = get_initial_camera_distance(body, sim, render_state);
+        render_state->camera.position = (Vector3){0, distance * 0.3f, distance};
+        render_state->camera_offset = render_state->camera.position;
     } else if (render_state->selected_craft_index >= 0) {
         Spacecraft* craft = &sim->spacecraft[render_state->selected_craft_index];
         Vector3 craft_pos = sim_to_render(craft->global_position, render_state->distance_scale);
@@ -151,7 +201,8 @@ static void zoom_camera(RenderState* render_state, float distance_delta) {
     Vector3 direction = Vector3Normalize(to_target);
     float camera_distance = Vector3Length(to_target);
 
-    if (distance_delta > 0 && camera_distance <= 10.0f) return;
+    float min_distance = 0.1f;
+    if (camera_distance - distance_delta <= min_distance) return;
 
     render_state->camera.position = Vector3Add(render_state->camera.position, Vector3Scale(direction, distance_delta));
 
@@ -183,11 +234,11 @@ void update_camera(RenderState* render_state, SimulationState* sim) {
         if (target_changed) {
             update_camera_target(render_state, sim);
         } else if (render_state->selected_body_index >= 0) {
-            CelestialBody* body = &sim->bodies[render_state->selected_body_index];
-            Vector3 body_pos = sim_to_render(body->global_position, render_state->distance_scale);
-            render_state->camera.target = body_pos;
-            render_state->camera.position = Vector3Add(body_pos, render_state->camera_offset);
+            // Body selected - camera orbits around origin (body at 0,0,0 in render space)
+            render_state->camera.target = (Vector3){0, 0, 0};
+            render_state->camera.position = render_state->camera_offset;
         } else if (render_state->selected_craft_index >= 0) {
+            // Spacecraft selected - camera orbits around spacecraft
             Spacecraft* craft = &sim->spacecraft[render_state->selected_craft_index];
             Vector3 craft_pos = sim_to_render(craft->global_position, render_state->distance_scale);
             render_state->camera.target = craft_pos;
@@ -212,6 +263,41 @@ void update_camera(RenderState* render_state, SimulationState* sim) {
     update_last_target(render_state);
 }
 
+// Calculate initial camera distance based on children of the selected body
+float get_initial_camera_distance(CelestialBody* body, SimulationState* sim, RenderState* render_state) {
+    int body_index = body - sim->bodies;
+    
+    // Calculate average distance to children (bodies and spacecraft)
+    int child_count = 0;
+    double total_distance = 0.0;
+    
+    // Check body children
+    for (int i = 0; i < sim->body_count; i++) {
+        if (sim->bodies[i].parent_index == body_index) {
+            child_count++;
+            double dist = vec3_distance(sim->bodies[i].global_position, body->global_position);
+            total_distance += dist * render_state->distance_scale;
+        }
+    }
+    
+    // Check spacecraft children
+    for (int i = 0; i < sim->craft_count; i++) {
+        if (sim->spacecraft[i].parent_index == body_index) {
+            child_count++;
+            double dist = vec3_distance(sim->spacecraft[i].global_position, body->global_position);
+            total_distance += dist * render_state->distance_scale;
+        }
+    }
+    
+    if (child_count > 0) {
+        return (float)(total_distance / child_count);
+    }
+    
+    // No children - use 100x body radius as fallback
+    float body_radius = scale_radius(body->radius, render_state->distance_scale);
+    return body_radius * 100.0f;
+}
+
 // Transform from simulation coordinates (XY plane) to render coordinates (XZ plane)
 // Rotation matrix: 90 degrees around X-axis maps Y -> Z
 Vector3 sim_to_render(Vec3 pos, double scale) {
@@ -222,11 +308,9 @@ Vector3 sim_to_render(Vec3 pos, double scale) {
     };
 }
 
-// Scale a radius for rendering (with minimum visible size)
+// Scale a radius for rendering (linear scaling)
 float scale_radius(double radius, double scale) {
-    float scaled = (float)(scale * log10(radius));
-    float min_radius = 0.01f;  // Minimum visible radius
-    return (scaled > min_radius) ? scaled : min_radius;
+    return (float)(radius * scale);
 }
 
 // Render a single celestial body
@@ -450,6 +534,7 @@ Color get_body_orbit_color(CelestialBody* body) {
     };
 }
 
+// FIXME: orbital vector calculations should be in orbital_mechanics.h
 void render_orbit(Vec3 position, Vec3 velocity, Vec3 parent_position,
                   double parent_mass, Color orbit_color, RenderState* render_state) {
     Vec3 r_vec = vec3_sub(position, parent_position);
@@ -521,29 +606,63 @@ void render_simulation(SimulationState* sim, RenderState* render_state) {
     DrawLine3D((Vector3){0, 0, -500.0f}, (Vector3){0, 0, 500.0f}, (Color){40, 40, 40, 255});
     DrawLine3D((Vector3){-500.0f, 0, 0}, (Vector3){500.0f, 0, 0}, (Color){40, 40, 40, 255});
 
-    // Render orbit paths first
-    for (int i = 0; i < sim->body_count; i++) {
-        CelestialBody* body = &sim->bodies[i];
-        if (body->parent_index >= 0 && body->parent_index < sim->body_count) {
-            CelestialBody* parent = &sim->bodies[body->parent_index];
-            render_orbit(body->global_position, body->local_velocity, parent->global_position,
-                         parent->mass, get_body_orbit_color(body), render_state);
+    if (render_state->selected_body_index >= 0) {
+        // === BODY SELECTED MODE ===
+        CelestialBody* selected = &sim->bodies[render_state->selected_body_index];
+
+        // Render selected body at origin
+        Vector3 origin = {0, 0, 0};
+        float radius = scale_radius(selected->radius, render_state->distance_scale);
+        Color selected_color = {(unsigned char)(selected->color[0]*255), (unsigned char)(selected->color[1]*255), (unsigned char)(selected->color[2]*255), 255};
+        DrawSphere(origin, radius, selected_color);
+
+        // Render child bodies and their orbits
+        for (int i = 0; i < sim->body_count; i++) {
+            CelestialBody* child = &sim->bodies[i];
+            if (child->parent_index == render_state->selected_body_index) {
+                Vec3 child_rel = vec3_sub(child->global_position, selected->global_position);
+                Vector3 child_pos = sim_to_render(child_rel, render_state->distance_scale);
+                float child_radius = scale_radius(child->radius, render_state->distance_scale);
+                Color child_color = {(unsigned char)(child->color[0]*255), (unsigned char)(child->color[1]*255), (unsigned char)(child->color[2]*255), 255};
+
+                DrawSphere(child_pos, child_radius, child_color);
+
+                Vec3 origin_vec = {0, 0, 0};
+                render_orbit(child_rel, child->local_velocity, origin_vec, selected->mass, child_color, render_state);
+            }
         }
-    }
 
-    // Render spacecraft orbits
-    for (int i = 0; i < sim->craft_count; i++) {
-        Spacecraft* craft = &sim->spacecraft[i];
-        if (craft->parent_index >= 0 && craft->parent_index < sim->body_count) {
-            CelestialBody* parent = &sim->bodies[craft->parent_index];
-            render_orbit(craft->global_position, craft->local_velocity, parent->global_position,
-                         parent->mass, (Color){0, 255, 255, 128}, render_state);
+        // Render child spacecraft and their orbits
+        for (int i = 0; i < sim->craft_count; i++) {
+            Spacecraft* craft = &sim->spacecraft[i];
+            if (craft->parent_index == render_state->selected_body_index) {
+                Vec3 craft_rel = vec3_sub(craft->global_position, selected->global_position);
+
+                // Craft will be rendered in screen space after EndMode3D
+                // Just draw orbit here
+                Vec3 origin_vec = {0, 0, 0};
+                render_orbit(craft_rel, craft->local_velocity, origin_vec, selected->mass, (Color){0, 255, 255, 128}, render_state);
+            }
         }
-    }
 
-    // Render all bodies
-    for (int i = 0; i < sim->body_count; i++) {
-        render_body(&sim->bodies[i], render_state);
+    } else if (render_state->selected_craft_index >= 0) {
+        // === SPACECRAFT SELECTED MODE ===
+        Spacecraft* selected = &sim->spacecraft[render_state->selected_craft_index];
+
+        // Render parent body (for reference)
+        if (selected->parent_index >= 0 && selected->parent_index < sim->body_count) {
+            CelestialBody* parent = &sim->bodies[selected->parent_index];
+            Vec3 parent_rel = vec3_sub(parent->global_position, selected->global_position);
+            Vector3 parent_pos = sim_to_render(parent_rel, render_state->distance_scale);
+            float parent_radius = scale_radius(parent->radius, render_state->distance_scale);
+            Color parent_color = {(unsigned char)(parent->color[0]*255), (unsigned char)(parent->color[1]*255), (unsigned char)(parent->color[2]*255), 255};
+
+            DrawSphere(parent_pos, parent_radius, parent_color);
+
+            // Render spacecraft's orbit around parent
+            Vec3 origin_vec = {0, 0, 0};
+            render_orbit(origin_vec, selected->local_velocity, parent_rel, parent->mass, (Color){0, 255, 255, 128}, render_state);
+        }
     }
 
     EndMode3D();
@@ -561,4 +680,7 @@ void render_simulation(SimulationState* sim, RenderState* render_state) {
             render_maneuver_marker_screen_space(craft, maneuver, render_state);
         }
     }
+
+    // Render child indicators
+    render_child_indicators(sim, render_state);
 }
diff --git a/src/renderer.h b/src/renderer.h
index 8c9fefc..bd5454c 100644
--- a/src/renderer.h
+++ b/src/renderer.h
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ float calculate_spacecraft_angle(Vec3 velocity, Camera3D camera);
 // Camera setup and control
 void setup_camera(RenderState* render_state);
 void update_camera(RenderState* render_state, SimulationState* sim);
+float get_initial_camera_distance(CelestialBody* body, SimulationState* sim, RenderState* render_state);
 
 // Rendering functions
 void render_body(CelestialBody* body, RenderState* render_state);
@@ -48,6 +49,7 @@ void render_orbit(Vec3 position, Vec3 velocity, Vec3 parent_position, double par
 Color get_body_orbit_color(CelestialBody* body);
 // NOTE: needs to be called between begin_frame() and end_frame()
 void render_simulation(SimulationState* sim, RenderState* render_state);
+void render_child_indicators(SimulationState* sim, RenderState* render_state);
 void begin_frame();
 void end_frame();