Planetary Classification

Planets are categorized into three main groups after which they are subdivided further into specific grades. This is incredibly useful when mapping systems for future colonization or mining efforts as well as knowing what kinds of hazards might be present. These grading standards are uniform, meaning they also work for moons and dwarf planets as well.

### Category 01: Terrestrial Worlds

Terrestrial worlds are small to medium-sized rocky, solid bodies and moons. In our own solar system, this would include planets like Earth or Mars as well as moons like Ganymede or Titan. They can range in size from small planets like Mercury up to massive super-earths not present in our own solar system. These can be twice the size of Earth and up to ten times its mass, making them extremely large and dense.

#### Class I Terrestrial (Barren)

Class I worlds usually lack an atmosphere or possess only the barest wisps of one. Usually, this is a class assigned to small, rocky moons (like Earth's or like Pluto's companion, Charon) or to the minor planetoids which form in asteroid belts, outer belts (Kuiper belts) or solar limit fields (Oort clouds). Although Class I worlds make excellent weapons test sites and mining outposts, they make laughably poor colony locations and are therefore considered only useful for resources.

#### Class II Terrestrial (High-Level Hazards)

These are planets which can be similar to Venus, in which runaway greenhouse emissions have created pressure-cooker worlds. Mercury also falls into this category, as it is considered a high-level hazard planet due to its proximity to its host star and lack of atmosphere to protect it from ionization. These worlds are often ignored unless they possess valuable resources for colonization on other planets in the system, or rare minerals and metals such as iskindite or larcorium. They are habitable, but barely. Many other extreme hazards can contribute, but they are usually limited to poisonous atmospheres, lethal weather systems, location in the system (i.e. Mercury or Venus) and temperature. Life is extremely uncommon on these worlds and when it is found, the adaptations that allow such lifeforms to survive also make them extremely hostile or dangerous.

#### Class III Terrestrial (Medium-Level Hazards)

Medium-level hazards often consist of one or two dangerous weather types (such as acidic rain or noxious winds) but can also be expanded to include unusually high/low temperature fluctuations. A planet like Arctus, which waffles between blazing summers and freezing winters across the globe due to an extremely elliptical orbit and axial tilt, can fall into this category. Class III planets are among the most common worlds in the Galaxy, and are often colonized with small to mid-size settlements. They can be farmed easily in the case of a world like Arctus, but most only possess minimal plant or animal life. In cases where life is present in abundance, they usually possess unique adaptations to survive the hazards.

#### Class IV Terrestrial (Low-Level Hazards)

Class IV planets are not as common as a Class III, but are widely prized when found. They possess almost no dangers (apart from the possibility of atmospheric composition differences) and usually sustain a variety of plant and animal life. They are almost always colonized as soon as they are discovered, and can support a variety of mid-sized settlements with ease. Weather patterns usually fluctuate between temperate and severe, which is the only real danger. Some Class IV planets are also only considered such due to geological activity. Normark is one example of a Class IV world, as the planet is predominantly ocean (98.4% surface water) with an extremely active magnetic core comprised of magnetite and neodymium. This means Normark has one of the most robust magnetic fields ever found, as well as electromagnetic interference and impossibly deep oceans (52 miles deep on average).

#### Class V Terrestrial (Garden Worlds)

Planets like Chindrus or Earth are considered Class V worlds. These are almost completely covered with lush plant life and teeming with an assortment of fauna. Class V "Garden Worlds" are commonly the source of sentient life because of the globally stable weather, tolerable temperatures, and often the presence of liquid, non-acidic chemicals (such as, but not restricted to, water). Large, sprawling cities are usually established, as are many smaller towns or villages. Class V worlds can support large populations with ease as well, and any Garden Worlds not already the site of active civilizations are quickly snatched up by competing races.

#### Class A Terrestrial (Altered Worlds)

Once the Elorskra joined the Senate, they brought with them advanced technologies which were capable of stabilizing atmospheres and even altering weather patterns. This gave rise to "Terraforming", which enabled races to raise or lower the class of a planet. Through careful manipulation of the chemicals present in a world, as well as an alteration of the valence electrons within each element, even lifeless worlds like the Moon can be given robust, healthy atmospheres. Terraforming, however, requires a massive and constant expenditure of energy. Fusion plants, at minimum, are a requirement. Furthermore, if any of the terraforming spires are damaged, it can result in a drop in air quality, atmospheric density, etc. and, if left unchecked, an entire world's population of plant, animal and sentient life can be killed off in a few months. Terraformed planets are denoted on Galactic charts by stating their current class with a capital "A" after it (for example, in the case of Mars, it would be listed as "Mars, Class IV-A" if it had been raised to a class IV.)

#### Class L Terrestrial (Larcorium Sanctums)

These are unique, alien worlds with a more than 20% larcorium present in their makeup. The outcome of this, as a result of larcorium's effects on gravity and gravitational fields, means that these planets are not round. Instead, they can be any number of bizarre shapes and sizes. As the gravitational distortions creating these worlds are uniform, they are safe to colonize so long as other categorical measures allow it. Larcorium Sanctums are denoted by the letter "L" after their class. Vilarium, for instance, is often listed as "Vilarium, Class V-L" on galactic charts.

#### Class R Terrestrial (Rogue Planets)

"Rogue Planets" are those which have been evicted from their original systems, usually early in their history. These wandering worlds drift between the stars, sometimes collecting small moons (or other Class R worlds) and forming miniature systems. Due to the lack of a sun, however, no habitable Class R worlds have ever been found. This does not mean, however, that they cannot be colonized. The Heil, in particular Clan Delques, have made concerted efforts to colonize these worlds with limited success. Worlds such as Shadow or Miasma, which both belong to Clan Delques, are examples of their successes.

#### Class X Terrestrial (Progenitor Worlds)

When Progenitors absorb worlds, they alter them irrevocably. Every cell of organic matter is dissolved and replaced with duplicates of synthetic life. These worlds gleam like diamonds or metal fragments from space, and closer inspection reveals forests of synthetic trees. Often times, these were once Class III or IV worlds that fell to the Progenitors, and now all life has been replaced by this mechanical mockery. Although beautiful to look at, they are often outposts or hiding places for Progenitors. "Planet Crackers", or other antimatter bombs, are usually used to destroy these worlds before they can become a threat.

#### Class Z Terrestrial (Anu'Bai Contaminated)

Not normally seen, as the Senate deals with these worlds quickly, the Class Z worlds arose after the appearance of the Anu'bai 5,000 years ago. These worlds are unhealthy, and it shows from orbit. Thick, brownish-green growths choke the world, and the atmosphere follows suit, usually glowing a toxic greenish-brown. The only cure for these worlds is sterilization, and the Senate is swift to move in and burn these worlds to until their surfaces are nothing but charred embers. Thus far, this has been the only proven way to effectively end an Anu'bai threat.

### Non-Terrestrial Worlds

These planets are not solid worlds and often contain planets like Jupiter or Saturn. While they might not be colonizable, they often support a bevy of small moons and are almost miniature systems all to themselves. These moons can support an entire microcosm of life if the conditions are right and many non-terrestrial moons are highly exotic when compared to terrestrial moons.

#### Class A Non-Terrestrial (Ringed Worlds)

These are large gas giants with vast ring systems similar to those seen on Saturn. These rings are often spectacular and very large, shepherded into shape by a multitude of smaller moons. As these rings are often formed from ice and dust, the most majestic rings are found far from their host stars.

#### Class B Non-Terrestrial (Ringless Worlds)

These are enormous worlds that form closer in that most Class A planets and, as a result, often lack rings. They are often larger than Class A worlds and support many more moons. An analog, although not perfect, would be Jupiter (which technically qualifies as a Class A but is depicted most commonly as a Class B).

#### Class C Non-Terrestrial (Hot Giants)

Class C worlds are gas giants which form very close to their star, often heating up and evaporating quickly. They are usually close to the size of Neptune or Uranus, but may or may not be formed from similar compositions. They transit quickly around their star in most cases, due to their close proximity, but slow Class C's have been discovered. Due to their closeness to the parent star, they do not develop rings.

#### Class D Non-Terrestrial (Ice Giants)

A Class D world is the opposite of a Class C. They form far away from their stars, cooling considerably into what are commonly called "ice giants". This is the official class of Neptune and Uranus. They often do not possess as many moons as A or B class planets, although a few examples with 30+ moons have been discovered. Some Class D planets have rings, but it is not a defining requirement.

#### Class L Non-Terrestrial (Liquid Worlds)

These are very unique planets formed from the aggregation of liquid substance (such as water). They may have atmospheres, but lack solid cores of any type and lack the same gravitational pull as most other worlds. They tend to form in gaps between planets where tidal forces won't shear them apart, and as such collect thousands of small asteroids as moons. While not uncommon to see a Class L world with one or two traditional terrestrial moons, it is more common to see them with a minor 'ring system' of loosely bound asteroids instead.

#### Class S Non-Terrestrial (Binary Worlds)

This is a VERY rare type of planet. Early in its formation, a gas giant can split apart if tidal shearing (usually as a result of multiple suns) is strong enough. The gases then recombine into two individual worlds orbiting a shared center of gravity - a binary planet. The exact mechanism which forms these worlds is unknown, as some shorn planets recombine into a single world while others form Class S binaries. Moons generally orbit the shared center of gravity as well, swinging around both gas giants. Due to the tidal forces of the two worlds, however, most moons end up falling into the planets themselves and being crushed. The few outer worlds that survive are almost never habitable as a result of the extreme tidal forces. If ring systems form as a result of crushed moons, the rings are usually large and expansive, orbiting both planets at the center.