Mauna Loa

Mauna Loa
Mauna Loa 3151.svg
System Information
X:Y Coordinates1026.489 : -119.159[e]
Spectral classM6IV[1]
Recharge time207 hours[1]

Political Affiliation[edit]

Mauna Loa VI[edit]

Mauna Loa VI
Astrophysical
System positionSixth[1]
Jump Point distance2.34 days[1]
MoonsNone[1]
Geophysical
Surface gravity0.78[1]
Atmospheric pressureHigh (Toxic)[1]
Equatorial temperature347°C (Inferno)[1]
Surface water68%[1]
Highest native lifeNone[1]
History and Culture
Population0 (3095)[1]

Planetary History[edit]

Mauna Loa was a planet located in the Dark Expanse with a climate evidently similar to that of the moon Titan when it was first the subject of terraforming measures by the Star League. The sixth planet in the system, Mauna Loa sat further away from the most ideal terraforming range within the system, the "goldilocks zone", making it far from habitable in its original state; nevertheless, it was the subject of an extensive operation conducted by the Department of Mega-Engineering. A large series of solar mirrors was established in polar orbits above the planet, and two more mirror arrays were established, one at the L4 Lagrange point and one at the L5 Lagrange point. These latter two arrays received bursts of microwave energy from solar collectors located on one of the inner planets in the system, energy that was then transmitted down to Mauna Loa.[1]

When explorers from Interstellar Expeditions rediscovered Mauna Loa in 3088 there was nothing other than a Star League Catalog number to indicate that the system was even known to the Star League, but their investigations uncovered the terraforming efforts - efforts which the Department of Mega-Engineering evidently either couldn't shut down, didn't shut down, or didn't want to shut down. Whatever the long-vanished Department had intended for Mauna Loa, the effect their efforts had resulted in extensive changes to Mauna Loa. Interstellar Expeditions researchers believed that the extensive mirror arrays were intended to warm the planet up to a livable temperature within a decade, but after three hundred years of operation the planet was overwhelmed by the amount of energy poured into it. The planetary surface had been frozen, but in 3088 the surface was boiling under thick clouds of water vapor. More damaging still, the stresses put on the planet as a result of the melting ice caused an ancient supervolcano to become active again; this huge volcano was still pouring out enough lava in 3088 to cause one side of the planet to glow orange when in its night phase, and gave rise to the name Interstellar Expeditions bestowed on the planet.[1]

Map Gallery[edit]

Nearby Systems[edit]

Closest 20 systems (0 within 60 light-years)
Distance in light years, closest systems first:
Drachenfeld 156.7 Richmond's World 197.2 Shady Palms 228.2 Interstellar Expeditions Base #6 265.5
New Sierra 280.2 Helvetia 310.8 Lemnos 313.8 Karpathos 319.8
Thasos 324.1 Halkidik 324.3 Carcri 324.8 Anglia 325.7
New Delphi 327.7 Dania 333.3 Belgae 338.0 Cephei 340.1
Hibernia 343.6 Pegasi 349.2 Morgan's Holdfast 361.5 Fletcher's Feast 363.0

References[edit]

  1. 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 Interstellar Expeditions: Interstellar Players 3, p. 73: "Mauna Loa"

Bibliography[edit]