3-D system map

[RockCrystal]

(Since some of you seem confused, I'll clarify. This project's intent is to maybe, -possibly-, help the starsphere modelers with their job, but mostly to satisfy my own morbid curiosity. It is NOT an attempt to port a 3-D map in-game.)

So, I dunno about you guys, but it always bothered me that the entire population of Sirius ignores that there is a z axis, with presumably useful systems on it, in space, as well as that all of the current useful systems fall perfectly onto a flat plane in the system map:



What reason is there for this?
One obvious explanation is the same reason why Greenland is the same size as Africa on a world map: Namely, we're looking at a projection of a 3-D starsphere onto a 2-D plane, with offsets to make sure that systems 'on top' of each other don't overlap, and that routes passing 'over' and 'under' each other cross as little as possible.
It seems to me that, given the use of a minimal 3-D modeling program and a little brain sweat, the true spacial relations could be made apparant, with immediate applications in starphere development.
As a general guide, picture a tetrahedron, with New York at it's exact center. Each of the other 3 houses 'home' systems would be the points at the 'base' of the tetrahedron, and connecting systems, like California, for example, would be pointing toward the House that they connect to, like Bretonia.
Ah, but this is easily represented by a 2-D map, you say! Well, this is where those otherwise inexplicable long jumpgates and holes come in - they aren't really that long, they're just stretched on the map to make room for the other systems. Alaska, for example, would be directly 'above' New York, and (roughly) the same distance from it as Colorado, California and Texas are.

I'd be happy to plot the rest of the systems out, as spacial relations is one of the few things I'm good at - but I would need a 3-D modeling program that's easy to use, user friendly and free, and I rather doubt there is one. So is there anyone out there who would like to take this on, either alone or with my assistance?

EDIT: May well take this on myself, as a google search revealed my ignorance - there is indeed at least one free program designed to visualize spacial relationships between star systems. Whether it's easy enough to learn, we'll see.

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Be kinder than necessary, because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.
J.M. Barrie