Eyrie

Eyrie is a large, barren but low density super earth class planet with a gravitational field only a little stronger than Earth's despite having a radius half again as big. It lies in the quadruple star system HD 191104, 128 light years from Earth in the general direction of the galactic core.   Eyrie orbits the less massive of the two close binaries that make up HD 191104 and it retains a thick atmosphere with a small amount of water vapour but no open oceans. Despite some risk of future orbital instablity, due to the chaotic dynamics of the system, this atmosphere led to it being accepted for participation in the Genesis Projects when it was colonised in 2517.   The Cloud Stations of Eyrie, part of the terraforming infrastructure, are able to achieve neutral boyancy and float over the hot and somewhat hostile surface where there is a lot of vulcanism. Their task is to take carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere so that it will later be possible to introduce more water whilst still reducing overall greenhouse gas heating. Progress on this project is not expected to be rapid.

Geography

Eyrie currently has no open water as the temperature is too high to allow the limited quantities in the atmosphere to precipitate out, although it is a long term goal of the Genesis Projects to create seas once the temperature has been reduced.   Eyrie is a mountainous world, subject to erosion from wind and temperature cracking even without rain. A series of connected sandy deserts make up a yelow belt around the equator at a lower altitude than the mountains to the north and south.

Natural Resources

Eyrie is relatively metal poor, but compression waves that form part of an unusual geological history have led to the formation of some rare mineral seams, most of which are mere curiosities but a few of which are valuable. Diamonds are relatively easy to find close to the surface in certain locations as well as a number of unique gemstones. Mining outposts on the surface provide the main source of Eyrie's wealth and contribute to the costs of the terraforming work.

History

Colonised in 2517, Eyrie was one of the four founding systems of the Republic, together with S'arys, Gall V and the Carillon System.   As a Genesis Project planet, and one only recently colonised too, Eyrie was easily the weakest of these four and its participation in the politics of the early Republic was largely symbolic, due in part to its location in the same general region as the other Republican worlds and in part because the Republic wished to demonstrate that it shared a commitment to the Genesis Projects with the Solar Group.
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Planet
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Cover image: Eyrie by DMFW with Disco Diffusion

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