Ganymede (moon)

## Ganymede • Jupiter III

**Ganymede**, also known as *Jupiter III*, is the largest and most massive moon in the Sol system. Outward from Jupiter, it is the seventh satellite in the gas giant's orbit. It is one of the Galilean moons, the first group of objects discovered orbiting another planet as discovered by Galileo Galilei.

Ganymede is the only moon in the solar system with any magnetosphere, and thus the ability to deflect charged ionizing radiation. This makes it the only place where dome-grown crops and substantial farms stood a chance at growing in Jupiter's harsh radiation belt. It is a systemwide agricultural lynch pin, and is the heart of the system's food economy and agricultural research, particularly in the Belt and outer planets. Along with several massive agricultural domes to drive this food production, Ganymede also has a number of large mirrors in orbit to reflect sunlight to the surface for crop growth.

Ganymede's magnetosphere and natural gravity also makes it the location with the lowest amount of birth defects and stillbirths in the outer planets, and as such many women come to Ganymede to deliver. This in turn has led to medical industries related to childcare and pregnancy growing more common on the moon, making Ganymede by and large the centre of what made human expansion in the outer planets possible.

## History

Following the invention of the Exo Drive, humanity spread quickly to the Belt and outer planets. Ganymede was one of the first permanent human settlements in the outer planets, followed shortly by permanent bases on the other Galilean moons. Built as a long-term colony with large domes specifically made for the growing of food crops, Ganymede quickly became the safest and most important station in the outer system.

The domes of Ganymede began construction in 2264, some three years after the first settlement was established. The aim was to generate enough food for billions across the system, keeping up with the ever-growing population of mankind. The station was uniquely important, and had immense funding funnelled into it by governments and corporations alike. Without Ganymede, the bread basket of the outer planets, much of the infrastructure of the system would crumble in a matter of months. Effectiveness of the Ganymede agricultural domes was further enhanced in 2282 with the construction of several gigantic orbital mirrors that funnelled natural sunlight into the domes and improved overall production.

The successful construction of the Ganymede agricultural pipeline spurred the construction of similar facilities on Europa, another of Jupiter's larger moons.

## Geography

Ganymede station is divided into a number of agricultural centres arrayed in a broad circle around the central port and shipyard. Each centre comes with a number of domes and attached research facilities, where improvements to genetic engineering and botany are constantly developed. Aside from this, Ganymede also has extensive medical and paediatric care facilities.

### Notable Locations

* **Agridome I:** The first and largest of Ganymede's agricultural domes, boasting everything from residential spaces and medical centres to research labs and high-density farms. Exports some 40% of Ganymede's total food production.
* **Agridome IV:** The most densely populated dome in Ganymede, adjacent to the main docks. This dome barely houses any agricultural spaces, but serves as a residential district for a large percentage of Ganymede's working population.

## Society

The vast majority of the populace on Ganymede are Belters, although unlike the majority of Belters these have grown with the constant presence of gravity and ground underfoot. Most Belters here work in the shipyards or the agricultural domes, and a few are researchers in the laboratories alongside scientists from Earth and Mars.