Grissom Solar-system

System Specs:

  • Stellar Mass:  >20 Sol Masses
  • Stellar Class:  O
  • Luminosity:  N/A Sol
  • Planets:  3
  • Moons:  1
  • Asteroid Belts:  2
  • Asteroids:  1
  • Objects:  0

It may be named for Virgil ‘Gus’ Grissom, the second American into space and one of the first American astronauts to have died in the line of duty (Apollo 1).

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Planets Directory:

  1. Benda
  2. Zaherux
  3. Notanban

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Benda:

  • Orbital Distance:  _ 76.4 AU
  • Orbital Period:  _ 158.0 Earth-years
  • Keplerian Ratio:  _ 17.863
  • Radius:  _ 6,959 km
  • Day Length:  _ 158.0 Earth-hours
  • Atmospheric Pressure:  _ 0.44 atm
  • Surface Temp:  _ 1,157 °C
  • Surface Gravity:  _ 0.66 g
  • Mass:  _ 0.78 Earth-masses

Benda has a dense atmosphere of sulfur dioxide and chlorine. Though technically classified as a “terrestrial” world, the surface of the planet has never cooled enough for a crust to form. It is a global sea of molten rock. Like Zaherux, its atmosphere is being blasted away by the solar wind. Once its thick atmosphere is gone, Benda’s surface will be a “mere” 400 degree C.

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Zaherux:

  • Orbital Distance:  _ 76.4 AU
  • Orbital Period:  _ 158.0 Earth-years
  • Keplerian Ratio:  _ 17.863
  • Radius:  _ 6,959 km
  • Day Length:  _ 158.0 Earth-hours
  • Atmospheric Pressure:  _ 0.44 atm
  • Surface Temp:  _ 1,157 °C
  • Surface Gravity:  _ 0.66 g
  • Mass:  _ 0.78 Earth-masses

Zaherux‘s nitrogen-argon atmosphere is being blasted away by the solar wind of the blue giant Grissom. Its surface consists of “seas” of loose silica dust, some kilometers deep, which periodically swirl into global sandstorms.

Many unmanned probes to Zaherux have been lost over the years. Though investigation has attributed all to mechanical failure or computational error, a popular extranet meme insists the entire planet is composed of dormant nanotechnology, created millennia ago by a race even more advanced than the Protheans.

According to the story, Zaherux’s silica dust is actually “disassembler” robots which periodically awaken to defend themselves. Though discounted by every reputable scientist, this theory has been popularized by a series of sensationalistic texts by asari author Delsae Orthysa.

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Notanban:

  • Orbital Distance:  _ 76.4 AU
  • Orbital Period:  _ 158.0 Earth-years
  • Keplerian Ratio:  _ 17.863
  • Radius:  _ 6,959 km
  • Day Length:  _ 158.0 Earth-hours
  • Atmospheric Pressure:  _ 0.44 atm
  • Surface Temp:  _ 1,157 °C
  • Surface Gravity:  _ 0.66 g
  • Mass:  _ 0.78 Earth-masses

Notanban is a hydrogen-helium gas giant with traces of ammonia. Molecular nitrogen is present in the highest levels of the atmosphere, giving the planet its odd violet tint.

The upper levels of Notanban’s atmosphere are inhabited by “shoals” of tiny ammonia-based lifeforms, no larger or more complex than the plankton of Earth‘s oceans. Held aloft by air pressure and wind, these bioluminescent creatures constantly flee from the approach of the terminator. Should they be exposed to the light and heat of Grissom, they die.

Properties 

The system cannot be older than 10 million years. Notanban is likely a bloated Neptune in mass. With a radius of 73,314 km and a 16.9 Earth hour day the ammonium-based life forms in the atmosphere would need to be travelling at more than 27,000 km/h in order to stay ahead of the terminator.

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Solcrum:

  • Orbital Distance:  _ 76.4 AU
  • Orbital Period:  _ 158.0 Earth-years
  • Keplerian Ratio:  _ 17.863
  • Radius:  _ 6,959 km
  • Day Length:  _ 158.0 Earth-hours
  • Atmospheric Pressure:  _ 0.44 atm
  • Surface Temp:  _ 1,157 °C
  • Surface Gravity:  _ 0.66 g
  • Mass:  _ 0.78 Earth-masses

Solcrum is the largest moon of the gas giant Notanban. It has a trace atmosphere of krypton and xenon. The crust is composed of various metals with deposits of sodium. As with every body in the solar system, the surface is scorching hot and thoroughly irradiated by the blue giant Grissom. Surface excursions without proper protective gear are certain to prove fatal.

On approach to Notanban, Normandy’s passive sensor array intercepted a fragmentary coded transmission from the surface of Solcrum. Attempts to decrypt the message were fruitless; it does not appear to be in any software coding language used by the Citadel races.

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