Post by halinder on Feb 22, 2018 4:11:13 GMT -5
Victor
Mass: 5.64 x Earth
Radius: 10,557 km
Density: 6.84 g/cm^3
Surface Temperature: -239° C
Rotational Period: 259 days
Surface Gravity: 2.06 g
Escape Velocity: 20.6 km/s
Semi-Major Axis: 141 AU
Eccentricity: 0.22
Inclination: 12.6°
Orbital Period: 1,536 years
Periapsis Distance: 110 AU
Apoapsis Distance: 173 AU
Atmosphere Mass: 9.15E+20 kg
Surface Pressure: 131 atm
Victor is an ex-gas giant towards the edge of the Akkalah solar system. Its status as an ex-gas giant allow metallic hydrogen and helium mining to be performed without so much difficulty as, well, a proper gas giant. It is still rife with hazards. Its freezing surface, crushing gravity, negligible luminosity, and thin atmosphere make Victor a very dangerous place for a human to be, supported by technology or not.
Thankfully, the State knows better than to waste human lives, even when it has so many. Fewer than two thousand souls reside in orbit of the planet, split up between thirteen small collection stations and four large supervision stations.
The Collection Stations
Each collection station is responsible for three collection sites. They are all on the same side of the planet as one another, though still vastly apart. They can all be found in low orbit, constantly bathing the dark world below in red light. Their role is to maintain, deploy, and monitor mining drones. To do this, they have a drone maintenance bay, cargo bay, life support, and skyhook facility.
The Drones
The drones deployed by the collection stations run on RTG's. They have specialized balloons meant to slow down a crash in case the drone malfunctions. For maneuvering, the drone uses ion thrusters fitted to the starfish-like extensions off its main body, similar in design to one of the Akkalah Cosmic Navy's arsenal ships. It has a beryllium drill, a vacuum, and a magnet connected to a storage compartment at the core of its body. It sees using red light.
The Supervision Stations
The supervision stations are found further out than the collection stations. They have more facilities designed to support several shuttlecraft, torchships, and the other stations. They also connect the mining operations at Victor to the Net.
The Mining Process
Mining begins when a drone uses its drill to separate small globs of metallic hydrogen and helium. The drone uses its magnet to drag these globs into its storage compartment. Once the compartment is full, the drone cleans itself of excess material using its vacuum before flying away from the surface. The drone enters an idle period where it slowly falls towards the surface with the help of its balloon, occasionally lifting itself back up via its ion thrusters if it gets too close to the ground. It does this until a collection station passes over its site, at which point the drone flies towards the station and is acquired via skyhook.
The drone is inspected for alien bacteria, radiation, and other hazards before it is allowed to deposit its load into a sorter. The sorter conveys metallic hydrogen and helium to specialized spherical containers on the external hull of the outpost. The drone receives necessary maintenance before being sent back down.
Once a sphere is full, a call is sent to the supervision stations to send a shuttle. The shuttle detaches the sphere, bringing it to the supervision station. An inspection is performed to double-check for hazards before the sphere is offloaded directly into the cargo bays of the torchships docked to the station. After this, the shuttle returns the empty sphere to the collection station which sent it.
When a torchship has enough metallic hydrogen and helium, it detaches from the supervision stations and begins the long journey back to inner space to deliver its valuable cargo.
Using this method, the Akkalah Unitary State mines roughly 243,835 tons of metallic hydrogen and helium every day.
Mass: 5.64 x Earth
Radius: 10,557 km
Density: 6.84 g/cm^3
Surface Temperature: -239° C
Rotational Period: 259 days
Surface Gravity: 2.06 g
Escape Velocity: 20.6 km/s
Semi-Major Axis: 141 AU
Eccentricity: 0.22
Inclination: 12.6°
Orbital Period: 1,536 years
Periapsis Distance: 110 AU
Apoapsis Distance: 173 AU
Atmosphere Mass: 9.15E+20 kg
Surface Pressure: 131 atm
Victor is an ex-gas giant towards the edge of the Akkalah solar system. Its status as an ex-gas giant allow metallic hydrogen and helium mining to be performed without so much difficulty as, well, a proper gas giant. It is still rife with hazards. Its freezing surface, crushing gravity, negligible luminosity, and thin atmosphere make Victor a very dangerous place for a human to be, supported by technology or not.
Thankfully, the State knows better than to waste human lives, even when it has so many. Fewer than two thousand souls reside in orbit of the planet, split up between thirteen small collection stations and four large supervision stations.
The Collection Stations
Each collection station is responsible for three collection sites. They are all on the same side of the planet as one another, though still vastly apart. They can all be found in low orbit, constantly bathing the dark world below in red light. Their role is to maintain, deploy, and monitor mining drones. To do this, they have a drone maintenance bay, cargo bay, life support, and skyhook facility.
The Drones
The drones deployed by the collection stations run on RTG's. They have specialized balloons meant to slow down a crash in case the drone malfunctions. For maneuvering, the drone uses ion thrusters fitted to the starfish-like extensions off its main body, similar in design to one of the Akkalah Cosmic Navy's arsenal ships. It has a beryllium drill, a vacuum, and a magnet connected to a storage compartment at the core of its body. It sees using red light.
The Supervision Stations
The supervision stations are found further out than the collection stations. They have more facilities designed to support several shuttlecraft, torchships, and the other stations. They also connect the mining operations at Victor to the Net.
The Mining Process
Mining begins when a drone uses its drill to separate small globs of metallic hydrogen and helium. The drone uses its magnet to drag these globs into its storage compartment. Once the compartment is full, the drone cleans itself of excess material using its vacuum before flying away from the surface. The drone enters an idle period where it slowly falls towards the surface with the help of its balloon, occasionally lifting itself back up via its ion thrusters if it gets too close to the ground. It does this until a collection station passes over its site, at which point the drone flies towards the station and is acquired via skyhook.
The drone is inspected for alien bacteria, radiation, and other hazards before it is allowed to deposit its load into a sorter. The sorter conveys metallic hydrogen and helium to specialized spherical containers on the external hull of the outpost. The drone receives necessary maintenance before being sent back down.
Once a sphere is full, a call is sent to the supervision stations to send a shuttle. The shuttle detaches the sphere, bringing it to the supervision station. An inspection is performed to double-check for hazards before the sphere is offloaded directly into the cargo bays of the torchships docked to the station. After this, the shuttle returns the empty sphere to the collection station which sent it.
When a torchship has enough metallic hydrogen and helium, it detaches from the supervision stations and begins the long journey back to inner space to deliver its valuable cargo.
Using this method, the Akkalah Unitary State mines roughly 243,835 tons of metallic hydrogen and helium every day.