Surface brightness limit of the individual simulated VIS exposures as a function of the different components of the sky background. Top left panel: histogram of the surface brightness limit per exposure (9916 simulations). The solid and dashed vertical lines represent the median value of the distribution and its ±1σ dispersion percentiles. Top right panel: zodiacal light surface brightness vs. limiting surface brightness. Bottom left panel: average stray-light light level (from Solar System bodies and stars) surface brightness vs. limiting surface brightness. Bottom right panel: interstellar medium surface brightness vs. limiting surface brightness. Contours represent nine equidistant levels of probability density between 10% and 90%.