Luna
 | |
| Name | Luna/The Moon |
|---|---|
| Class | Natural Satellite |
| Mass | 0.0123 Earths |
| Radius | 1737 km (0.273 Earths) |
| Rotational Period | 27.32 Terran days |
| Gravity | 1.62 m/s2 (0.165 Earths) |
| Distance from Star | 384400 km |
| Orbital Period | 27.32 Terran days |
| Orbitting Bodies | Orbits Earth |
| Discovery Date | BCE |
| Ruling Bodies | SolGov |
As the birthplace of SolGov from the bones of the Selene Federation, Luna is an important cultural site as well as the capital of the Solar Confederate Government. Most of its industry and agriculture long since superseded by other Inner System worlds, Luna remains a sprawling capital complex of one of the largest empires in space, with the vast majority of its economy servicing politicans, millitary officers, and other high-ranking luminaries.
Contents
Geography
Luna is a small grey rock covered in craters. It has no atmosphere, hydrocarbons, important metal deposits, or any other reason to colonize it other than its weak gravity and proximity to Earth.
Infrastructure
Much of the population of Luna rests in Tycho, previously Tycho Base, built into the crater of the same name. Whilst there are several other installations and smaller population centres dotted around Luna, connected by underground rail, Tycho is the administrative heart of Luna and all of SolGov. Tycho needs to cater for vast numbers of civil workers in the political and administrative complexes of SolGov, as well as all the necessary support staff for any agencies and the various military installations of the Fleet and Marines. In turn, it then needs to house their families and entertain them and the countless thousands of politicians and military servicepeople on shore-leave. As a result, Tycho and other Lunar settlements tend to be sprawling and somewhat unplanned, having grown organically since the earliest days of man's ventures into space.
Population
Like the rest of Sol, Luna is overwhelmingly human. There are very few positronics, but a larger than average number of Tajaran, Skrell, and Unathi, as the ambassadors of the other space polities are present in the embassies that dot Tycho and the other colonies, along with their families, support staff, security personnel, and other attachés.
The class structure of Luna is similar to the class structure of Earth, only even more stratified. The various government functionaries have a massive underclass of support and entertainment, giving Luna a reputation for the best live entertainment in SolGov space. These facilities draw tourists and servicemen on leave, come to enjoy the high life of the big city.
Industry and Economy
As mentioned above, Luna's biggest industry is entertainment, but its primary product is, of course, government. Controlling public policy for a confederation of dozens of systems light-years apart is a massive, expensive undertaking and Luna's lifeline is the taxpayers of each of these states.
Government
Luna is administered by the State of Luna, which has its capital just outside of Tycho. Tycho itself is largely territory either of SolGov itself, or of the various states which have their embassies there. The State of Luna tends to concern itself primarily with the small settlements outside of Tycho, which include the oldest extraterrestrial colonies and important battlefields of the Second Cold War.
Notable Locations
Tycho
The massive capital complex of SolGov, dwarfing all other settlements drastically. A constantly bright settlement dug into Tycho Crater, infrastructure on Tycho is the best in human space, being the first settlement in SolGov to be outfit with gravity plating. During the new moon on Earth, Tycho is clearly visible as a bright splotch towards the bottom of the near side of Luna.
Little Qerrbalak
The somewhat-derogatory nickname for the suburban neighborhood of Quam'loa. As the Skrell do not have anything approaching a unified government, each major city-state maintains diplomatic relations with SolGov independently, giving them far, far more embassies than any other race. These embassies are all found in Little Qerrbalak, a microcosm of Qerrbalak itself. It is the one place in the Sol system where Common Skrellian is spoken on the streets, and has shops, farms, and manufacturers of Skrell-specific products. The settlement also contains a population of Skrell-manufactured positronics who work as interpreters and cultural liaisons.
Armstrong Museum and Gift Shop
Contains the original flag and plaque planted on the moon during the very first landing, marking the beginning of the Space Era. Popular early in the colonial era, the museum has fallen by the wayside by nearly 600 years after the moon landing. The US flag has been bleached bone-white by constant exposure to the sun and later to artificial lighting.
History
Luna's colonization began in the 2030's, as nascent superpowers struggled for dominance in the future post-Earth era. Luna was chosen as the first colonization site due to its proximity and low gravity well, which made it an excellent staging base for further colonization of the more desireable Mars and Main Belt. By the time of the political turmoil of the late 21st century, Luna was the only body off of Earth with an appreciable population, and this unrest (and the discovery of bluespace travel) brought huge waves of refugees and political exiles, many of whom would form the Selene Federation shortly afterwards. The Selene Federation was the first extraterrestrial state, and although short-lived formed the legal basis for the creation of SolGov and the modern colonial era.
