Star System Zones

System Zones

• Planetary Orbit
• Sunside
• Inner System
• Outer System
• Edge (Heliopause)

STAR SYSTEM ENVIRONMENTS

Star systems are rich environments for danger, exploration, and mystery. They can be divided into the following zones, with situation aspects, hazards, and encounters.

PLANETARY ORBIT

Orbiting a world is a delicate manoeuvre; you’re visible from the ground, and subject to planetary phenomena. Inhabited world orbits are busy and regulated, and you may be challenged by authorities. You must enter or leave orbit when landing or taking off from a planet; you needn’t usually roll, but it’s a zone you must pass through, and it may provide obstacles to other manoeuvres.

CLOSE TO PRIMARY (SUNSIDE)

Approaching close to a system primary exposes you to radiation and gravitational hazards (page 374), though it’s the only way to get into a star’s photosphere. It may pose an obstacle to movement.

THE INNER SYSTEM

A star’s inner system is usually a few AU at most, depending on star size, and usually includes the habitable zone (page 322). An inhabited system’s main world is usually here often in the habitable zone), and it may be the busiest part of the system. There may be numerous worlds; travel times are given on page 224.

THE OUTER SYSTEM

A star’s outer system is usually the cold dark reach occupied by gas giants and iceballs. Many of an inhabited system’s industries may be here; it can be just as busy as the inner system, but is much “bigger”, and so feels emptier. Travel times are given on page 224.

HELIOPAUSE (EDGE)

The heliopause, also known as the n/2 boundary, is the “edge” of a star system, where the star’s stellar wind is stopped by the interstellar medium (page 362). Most importantly, it’s the closest point to a star where it’s safe to activate planing engines without risking damage. It also marks the minimum safe emergence point for ships dropping out of 2-space. The distance to the heliopause varies; it’s roughly 100x the h-zone distance for Old Earth.

OORT CLOUD

The Oort cloud is the spherical cloud of planetesimals at the outer limit of a star’s gravitational dominance, beyond which ships emerging from 2-space risk precipitating the Pulse Dragon Phenomenon (page 92). For Old Earth, it’s roughly a light year from the sun.