Novis
Novis is the second planet from the star Hedron and the only habitable world in the Hedron star system. The planet has a single moon, Velia. Over 50% of Novis' surface is covered in liquid water, with the remaining percentage surface being land. Most of this land is covered by large cities, but sanctuary zones which house the planet's remaining biosphere and geography also exist sparsely.
Compared to most other habitable worlds that have been colonized, Novis' development was greatly accelerated; resulting in most of its surface being covered by urban sprawl. This change is what lead to the development of current day Novis, a world leading the way in the production of high-tech products.
Geography
Over half of Novis' surface is covered by large lakes and seas, technically making the planet an ocean world. These oceans and lakes tend to be circular in shape, or chains of several circular depressions. These depressions are remnants from ancient asteroid impacts, which became filled with water after the planet cooled enough to support liquid water.
Fauna & Flora
Much of the biosphere on Novis has been lost due to the rampant industrialization efforts during the colonization of the planet. Outside of sanctuary zones, life that remains is adaptable, hardy, and small, such as Scuttlers or Scarlet Algae.
History
Novis was discovered along with the rest of the Hedron system in 12 UE. Initial long-range surveys showed the presence of all compounds required for complex life, including a nitrogen-oxygen atmosphere and liquid water. Further remote observation made by unmanned probes and subsequent manned landings revealed Novis not only had the right materials for life to form, but had its own unique and diverse biosphere as well.
Not long after discovering life on Novis; the survey team's parent company, the now defunct Verda-Tek, staked a claim on the planet. They would colonize the planet in 13 UE with the goal to turn it into a paradise world, carefully planning their development to conserve the planet's resources and ecosystem for visitors to enjoy.
Shortly after colonists arrived on Novis, a rival company arrived in the star system and announced their challenge to Verda-Tek's claim on Novis. This company, Hardspace Defense, believed the Hedron system to be an important strategic foothold and seeked to establish defense platforms and orbital shipyards around the system while using Novis as their base of operations. Hardspace Defense set up a blockade of warships in orbit of Novis, preventing supply ships from delivering needed supplies to the colonists on the planet.
The blockade around the planet, originally a measure to starve the colonists off of Novis, caused the colonists to come together and speed up their industrialization. Many of the people on Novis were scientists and engineers, who quickly shifted their focus to provide the food, water, power, and goods the growing settlements would need. This shift forced them from their original goal of sustainable growth into unrestrained industrialization.
The colonists then declared their own independence, gathering under the banner of the Novis Colonial Authority, or NCA, in 14 UE. The original colony, New Haven, would serve as the capital of Novis, and the seat of power for the whole star system.
Along with further developing their planet, the NCA established the Hedron Defense Command, or HDC, the governing body's official military in 16 UE. The HDC would command and construct the system's navy and other protective assets, eventually launching their fleet and forcing the ships blockading Novis to retreat with support from the planetary batteries on the surface during Operation Broken Sky.
Novis
Orbital characteristics
Aphelion - 3.36 AU
Perihelion - 3.33 AU
Semi-major axis - 3.35 AU
Eccentricity - 0.00497
Orbital period - 5.17 years
Average orbital speed - 19.3 km/s
Mean anomaly - 90.9
Satellites - 1 natural satellite: Velia
Physical characteristics
Radius - 6796 km
Mass - 7.17 × 1024 kg
Density - 5.45 g/cm3
Surface gravity - 10.4 m/s2
Escape velocity - 11.9 km/s
Rotational period - 1.2 days
Albedo - 0.3
Surface temp. - 17.3 °C average
Atmosphere
Surface pressure - 132 kPa
Type
Planet
Location under
Included Locations
Owning Organization
Comments