Jupiter

Jupiter is the largest planet in the Solar System.

**Location:** Milky Way Galaxy/Local Cavity/Solar System

**World Category:** Hydrogen-Helium Gas Giant

**Jupiter** is the fifth planet from Sol and the largest in the Solar System. It is a hydrogen-helium gas giant and has been known to ancient civilizations since before recorded history. It is named after the Roman god Jupiter.

Jupiter has been an important sector to humanity since its early colonization in the late 21st century. It is the main provider of Helium-3 in the system and is an important asset in maintaining geo-engineering of Earth's atmosphere and terraformation of terrestrial bodies even outside of the Solar System, while also providing necessary fuel for nuclear fusion reactors and starships. Its Galilean moons are colonized as well.

Jupiter sector fell under the control of the Mavors Imperium in 2132 but was taken back by Earth in 2220. Its moons are home to colonial and industrial expansions and military bases, and is an important fuel depot in the Solar System. With the formation of the Federation in 2227, Jupiter sector has become an important part of the new economical boom of Humanity.

## Planetary Properties

### Physical Characteristics

Jupiter is primarily composed of hydrogen, but helium comprises one quarter of its mass and one tenth of its volume. It likely has a rocky core of heavier elements. The outer atmosphere is visibly segregated into several bands at different latitudes, with turbulence and storms along their interacting boundaries. A prominent result of this is the Great Red Spot, a giant storm that is known to have existed since at least the 17th century, when it was first seen by telescope.

### Natural Satellites

Jupiter has 84 known natural satellites. Of these, 65 are less than 10 kilometers in diameter. The four largest moons are Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto, collectively known as the "Galilean moons" which are also home to many of this sector's infrastructure.

## Colonial Development

### Jupiter

Jupiter has the largest reserves of Helium-3 in the Solar System after the Sun, and therefor has been exploited since 2080s. Its early infrastructure development encountered a major obstacle, being the Jupiter's lethal radiation, but new shielding technologies which arrived in 2090s, made Jupiter the center of outer space developments as the need of Earth for Helium-3 continuously increased. Today, Jupiter provides 30% of the entire Helium-3 production of Humanity, making it the most important sector in this business.

### Io

Io's orbit is home to Acoreus, a Federation Military Platform dedicated to the monitoring of the Solar System's starship movements. Its surface is also home to several facilities dedicated for training of soldiers for volcanic environments. There is also several research bases dedicated to studying volcanos as well.

### Europa

Prior to the Colonial War and the fall of Jupiter sector, Europa was only home to a military R&D facility which was attached under the icy crust of the surface. During the reign of the Imperium, this moon saw some colonial developments. Now, there is a major domed under water colony named Etruscus with a population of about 50,000. It is also the namesake of Europa Peace Treaty, which ended the Colonial War and gave birth to the Imperium.

### Ganymede

Ganymede, the largest moon in the Solar System, is the only rocky body of the Solar System beside Earth that has a strong magnetic field. This fact, alongside Ganymede's vast water reserves, put the largest moon of Jupiter at the center of a terraformation project started by the Imperium and continued by the Federation. Today, Ganymede has a breathable atmosphere and hosts a population of more than 180 million people. There are important Aerospace Industries on the surface of this moon.

### Callisto

Callisto was the first moon of the Jupiter sector that became colonized due to its distance from Jupiter and therefor being safe from its lethal radiation. This moon is also home to humanity's first terraformation project, which began in 2153 by the Imperium, and has been a major success for humanity and a point of pride, showing how far humanity has come. Callisto is currently a military world, and most of its population are military personnel and their families. There are several important military schools on the moon. Callisto is also home to the launchpad of Castor Quantum Missiles, the height of the humanity military achievements, that can return everything to dust in a radius of 10km in an instance. The Pollux Military Platform is also stationed at its orbit, home to the Solar System's Warp Suppressers. The moon is also home to the infamous Black Iron Prison.