Exultation of Progress
Formally known as the GJ725 Dedicated Research and Study Nexus Station, this station is, per the name, one dedicated entirely to research and scientific progress. In fact, it is the largest such system in human space. Around 73 kilometers from end to end, with a roughly circular main body around 12 kilometers in diameter. Various extra bits like adjustable gravity belts or secluded research facilities vary in distance, from a few hundred meters to tens of kilometers. Place of occupation for Jon. Most of the population actually lives elsewhere, in close-by habitats, but around 2.1 million live permanently in the habitat drums themselves.
Structure
Center
The center of the habitat is an enormous Antimatter reactor, contained in various layers of reinforcement and related systems. The massive supercomputers, quantum and conventional, comparable to the ones on Europa, as well as the station's central AI system, are housed nearby, and are powered by the reactor.Drums
From there, there are two drums on either side, both the size of the average O'Neill cylinder (eight kilometer diameter), though only 20 kilometers long each. These drums contain the majority of habitation infrastructure, and operate very much like normal habitats, with all the amenities and services for permanent living those have. It also contains simpler and more theoretically focused research labs, which require less dedicated systems and testing enviroments.Research Wings
Past the habitation drums, the station's purpose becomes apparent. These are massive collections of rooms and areas, each dedicated to various forms of testing, research, and the like. These extend around ten kilometers each direction. The way they are laid out also allows testing in lower gravity closer to the axis of rotation of the station. At around a hundred meters from the center of that axis is a region of near-zero gravity. Large parts of this section are left empty, to test destructive and focused equipment, like starship thrusters or weapons, with little worry about surroundings.Far Reaches
The rest of the station's length is made up by the stuff beyond the research wings. These are nearly exclusively various import and export channels, trade ports, and docking areas. Most are nearer to the center of the axis, giving the station a distinct cone on both ends.Drum exterior
On the side of the drums are more research labs, though not many. Most of the exterior is dedicated to manufacture of resources, like refining materials for research and daily operation and growing food as well as recieving shipments of raw materials, especially ice and antimatter. The connections to various facilities separate to the main station are also here.Separate Systems
Some research is too dangerous for even the empty zero-g channel, and so are conducted in facilities entirely separate of the station. These are connected by essentially space elevators, and can very from a few hundred meters away to almost a hundred kilometers. Larger-scale antimatter testing especially is conducted here, as is many types of FTL travel research. There are also the varied gravity rings around the station, that can increase or decrease their rate of rotation to simulate different levels of gravity. Another major element separate from the station is the particle accelerator systems. They are composed of ten rings, all going from the very tip of the station to the other in various circles, forming rings that range from 230 kilometers in length to over 600.Demographics
Due to being in the Core Worlds, the population is more organic humans than synthetics. That said, that majority is not that large, at around a 60/40 split. Around 15% of the population is researchers and scientific personnel, whereas the rest are various auxiliary roles that maintain the station's operations, from maintenance to infrastructure planning and trade management. About 60% of the population is also composed of the families of the scientists, many of which are involved in the various auxiliary roles.
Founding Date
2542
Alternative Name(s)
GJ725 Dedicated Research and Study Nexus Station
Type
Starbase
Population
17 million
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