Discovery Gaming Community - Sigma 63 Exploration Logs

Shimamori Masahito

LOG MESSAGE 1/29.05.828

Today is the day the expedition to Sigma 63 finally commences. The astronomers from New Tokyo and Honshu finally managed to triangulate the possible rip in the space-matter that theoretically would lead to Sigma 63. The nature of this space-matter flux is temporal but stable enough to allow for a small group of ships to pass through and to remain in the system for a period long enough to map major points of interest such as planets. According to the observations from the Observatory of Tenmei University, the jumphole is to become available today-tomorrow, around . The crew of the ship has already been drilled and prepared for this voyage since the first reports on Sigma-63. The morale is high and everyone is eager to contribute to Empire's growth in the spirit of the first pathfinders who chartered our native system of honshu centuries ago.

Our first step will be to locate the anomaly itself. The prediction of the researchers puts it somewhere around 1E quadrant in Honshu, and this is where "Zuiryu" and accompanying vessels are setting its course as this message is being recorded. The expeditionary forces will be limited to already mentioned Takeda-class "Zuiryu", one fighter, one bomber, and two scouts-interceptors. "Zuiryu" can be accomodating all of the vessels with additional cargo space available. However, because it is expected for at least two vessels to be accompanying the flagship most of the time on a rotating schedule, we loaded more supplies and probes. The vessels in question should be sufficient to ensure safety from possible encounters, given we assume a defensive approach to the situation.

Second step would involve observing the gravitational anomaly and reporting the observations to Honshu Mission Centre that will be rendering support throughout the mission. If we receive confirmation of the anomaly's stability, a probe will be launched into the jumphole to test the safety of the wormhole passage. Should the jumphole be capable of supporting a jump, "Zuiryu" will deploy a quantum communication beacon for faster communication with the Mission Centre and subsequently proceed with the jump.

If the jump is successful, we are to report back to the Mission Control and to send our stellar coordinates. In the following hours "Zuiryu" will be observing the position of the stellar objects around to triangulate its position using the parallaxes of the known bright stars, if such could be observed. At the same time the scouts are to proceed to nearest objects while probes are sent to more distant ones. This would be our step three.

As the fourth step "Zuiryu" will approach Sigma-63-β to observe the planet from a geostationary orbit. Subsequently, similar observations are to be carried out for Sigma-63-γ. The two planets are, according to the preliminary observations, perspective candidates for the landfall and colonisation. This step, of course, is to be carried out should the previous raise no complications. Subsequent steps will depend on the results of these four. Hopefully, there will be none and we will be none and the mission will be a success. Having this said, we are departing into the unknown for the glory of the Empire and the prosperity of its people. Tennou heika banzai!

Shimamori out.

Preliminary Scheme of Sigma-63 system

Shimamori Masahito

LOG MESSAGE 1/14.06.828

Collapsing and reconnecting
wormhole

We were too optimistic with the accuracy of the predictions. I am not a knowledgeable person when it comes down to quantum mechanics and stellar quantum navigation and could not have foreseen significant deviations in the expected time of the jumphole openning. Morioka-sensei reported that to predict the opening with even 75% accuracy would be a big challenge because we still have not learnt to resolve Heisenberg's Principle of Uncertainty. The more accurate we try to measure (and predict) the quantum, which is partially responsible for the jumpholes, the less accurate our observations are due to corpuscular-wave dualism of the the matter. So I was told, at least.

Today, however, we had luck. It appears an unstable rift has opened. It is too small for a ship to pass through, nor would we have tried to - it is too dangerous for now. We have sent in two probes, both with quantum communication arrays entangled to "Zuiryu's" communications. It has been two hours since the probes departed and so far we have not received anything back. Morioka-sensei assumes that the rift is yet too unstable for the information to come through. Indeed, the "jets" from the rift indicate it keeps closing and re-opening again with a certain interval. We assume, it will eventually stabilise, at least for some time. We shall wait and observe the anomaly from proximity. Additional data shall be provided by the observatories on Honshu.

The spirits are still high despite the delay. We hope for the better and devote ourselves to bringing a success to this mission. May Emperor's grace accompany us on this path.

Shimamori out.

Shimamori Masahito

LOG MESSAGE 01/2.07.828

Sigma-63-α

In accordance with the initial expectations, we received from the probe the confirmation of its successful passing through the wormhole a few hours after the dispatch. Due to the space fluctuations arising from the instability of the wormhole, however, we were experiencing significant data loss and could not reliably support good bandwidth to get the video feed. The probe continued exploration of the system and data collection based on its own using the automatic programme. Yesterday the relative stability of the wormhole finally made it possible to receive the data from within the system.

The overall estimations and observations were confirmed. The yellow star is relatively young and stable. There are four major planets in the system. Sigma-63-α is a scorched world devoid of any atmosphere. The geological probing of the upper layers of the ground revealed a large presence of Sodium, Calcium, and Magnesium. The planet's surface is not much scarred with asteroid impact sites, likely a result of a strong tidal pool of Sigma-63-γ. Thus, the lack of heavy materials commonly found in drifting asteroids is suggested. The interest for the development of the planet is likely to be low, mainly because of the lack of valuable mineral resources and the difficulty of establishing a planetary outpost. Should the subsequent detailed geo-surveying yield any results of note, construction of an orbital facility with limited on-the-surface presence of automatic mining machinery is advised.

Sigma-63-β

Descent on Sigma-63-β

The promising planet Sigma-63-β was confirmed to be potentially habitable. Contrary to the initial observations, the atmosphere is composed predominantly of Nitrogen (48%), Oxygen (31%), Hydrogen (11%), Argon (6%) and 4% befalling on other gases such as Helium and Methane, none of which are in concentrations lethal to humans. The partial pressure of 3.71 psi supports breathing without suits, in theory. The atmosphere is greenish, possibly due to the large amount of copper found on the surface. The planet is not tidally locked but has no satellite to have tidal cycles. Almost half of the planet, mostly in the southern hemisphere, is covered by deep oceans which appear dark green - black from the orbit. The probe launched a drone on the surface which successfully landed near a mountain range and picked traces of organic compounds, possibly a by-product of the local lifeforms. Subsequent probing in other areas confirmed the presence of local life, mainly plant- and fungi-like species capable of photosynthesis. Based on these observations, we can hypothesise that the planet's biosphere is still in its early stages with little to no presence of animal-like species. This is, however, to be corroborated by further piloted mission. The planet appears to have significant deposits of iron, titanium, zinc, and already mentioned copper. While none of the surveyed materials are of exceptional value or importance, the relative ease of establishing a colony and prospects of further geo-surveying pose this planet a valuable addition to the Empire's assets. The metals found are also likely to be present in the allegedly metallic planetary core, generating so desired magnetosphere. Another feature of particular importance for Kusari is the terrestrial nature of the planet with slightly less than a half of the planet being land as opposed to the myriad of archipelagos scattered throughout our core words.

Sigma-63-γ

The third planet, Sigma-63-γ, turned out to be hotter than predicted. The drone launched from one of the probes did not last long in the atmosphere despite its general durability. From the limited data we received, the planet appears to have a crushing atmosphere made predominantly of Carbon Dioxide and oxides of Sulfur. The drone did not reach the surface and sustained critical damage at the altitude of 28 km above the surface where the temperature already reached whooping 302 degrees Celsius. Our researchers suggest that the temperature on the ground can reach over 500 degrees Celsius, and the atmospheric pressure is expected to be close to 100 bar. The thick atmosphere causes greenhouse effect which is too strong to consider the planet for anything else save for Sulfur mining in the upper layers of the atmosphere. Even then, it would be a technologically challenging and economically not viable endeavour, and thus the planet which was considered a possible habitable world can be already dismissed as not of interest to the further piloted mission.

Sigma-63-δ

The last planet in the group, the gas giant Sigma-63-δ is a what one can call typical gas giant composed largely of Hydrogen (76%), Helium (21%), and Methane gasses (3%). The probe managed to track four larger moons and two smaller ones. The planet likely has more satellites. The four larger moons differ in size and composition. Two of those have a thick crust of ice with a significant admixture of other materials, such as ammonia. The other two have no ice layer. One of the moons, Sigma-63-δ-3, based on the observations can have vast deposits of Helium-3 in the form of a thin radioactive dust crust on the surface in addition to seams of magnesium and titanium popping out of the local mountain ranges. The gas giant and its moons can be of interest to the corporations of Kusari interested in mining gas from the atmosphere of Sigma-63-δ, and ore from at least one of its moons. Availability of hydrocarbons on other planets and water ice on the moons can make such mining operations more sustainable and profitable in the long run. Delta planetary system can pose interest to Kusari corporations.

During autonomous exploration of the system by the probes, no other vessels were encountered. The system allegedly has not been previously visited by human-led exploration missions. Thus it has been deemed safe to traverse the system with the forces of "Zuiryu" and accompanying vessels. As the jumphole right now is more stable than it used to be and allowed the transfer of the data, we are preparing to go in and continue the exploration efforts in situ. By the right of the first comers, we claim this system in the name of the Empire of Kusari and its people. We give it the tentative name of Chubu, after the historical region of the island of Honshu. We, the humble servants of the Emperor, depart with our hearts filled with joy, and mind - with solemn duty to our people and the Emperor. Should we successfully map the system and return from it, we will transmit all the findings to the esteemed Imperial Government personally upon the return. Should we fail to return in one month, all the found data are to be reported to the Imperial Authorities as out final wish so that our efforts do not go in vain.

We shall bring honour and glory to His Imperial Majesty by chartering personally the new addition to the Empire.

Shimamori out.

Shimamori Masahito

LOG MESSAGE 1/10.07.828

Surface of Sigma-63-α

Two days ago, on 8th of July, 828 A.S. "Zuiryu" alongside its escorting vessels successfully returned through the wormhole from the system of Chubu, previously designated as Sigma-63. The expedition sustained no damage and/or losses, with the exception of disposable probes and drones. The piloted expedition into the system of Chubu followed the automatic exploration mission carried out by two proves, and lasted six days and seven hours. Throughout the time, the team approached all four major planetoids in the system, observed the moods of Sigma-63-δ, and made a successful planetfall on Sigma-63-β. No other piloted or automatic man-made objects were encountered throughout the course of the mission. The results of the mission corroborate the previous findings - there are no indicators of the system having been previously explored and/or claimed by other Houses and/or factions, and the system might pose further interest for the Empire.

Clouds of Sigma-63-γ

Planets Sigma-63-α and Sigma-63-γ were observed from the orbit and upper layers of the atmosphere to corroborate the results of the unmanned mission. "Zuiryu" observed Sigma-63-α from the orbit and confirmed the world to be an inhospitable barren scorched wasteland. The cannons of "Zuiryu" allowed to blast the upper layers of the crust in order to probe deeper ground layers. Except for even more Magnesium, probes revealed the presence of rich iron deposits with traces of Titanium and Potassium present in the form of Potassium-Magnesium sulfates. Further scanning of the planet for radioactive elements also revealed deposits of Uranium and Thorium, however not in large amounts. The difficulties associated with establishing and maintaining a colony planetside made the planetfall redundant as the assumptions put forth by the previous unmanned mission were corroborated. The exploitation of the commonly found elsewhere planetary resources can become viable only after a significant investment and thus should be deferred to private initiative.

Sigma-63-γ was observed from the orbit with probes launched in the upper layers of the atmosphere only. Extremely high temperatures and atmospheric pressure which could disable the probe even before reaching the ground rendered the attempts to do so inadequate. Orbital observation corroborated the previous findings indicating the planet to be hostile to any planet-side operations.

Mountains of Sigma-63-β

Sigma-63-β as the main point of interest in the system was landed on. Previous observations were confirmed - the world is habitable and can support human life. The atmospheric pressure and gravity are within the norm. The expedition to the planet landed near a mountain range close to the equator. Analysis of the atmosphere showed that the growth of the local algae and moss is not controlled by any predatory species and hence the atmosphere close to the ground is filled with myriads of spores and simple photosynthetic unicellular organisms, which might be detrimental to breathing. Additional constraint to unhindered breathing without a suit is copper dust present in all layers of the atmosphere, giving the latter the greenish tilt. Its amount vary depending on the location and altitude. On plains it is higher while near the mountains and places with more solid soil it is less. Simple testing showed that regular filters are good at clearing the air of any particles that could be detrimental to breathing without a mask. Subsequent colony development might need extensive planting of trees to confine the dust to the soil.

Algae Landscape

Additionally, the concentration of algae in the area is also lower in more cool mountainous areas. Thus, the selection of the location for the colony needs to be carefully addressed to reduce the initial concentration of dust and algae in the air, allowing to minimise the investment into the infrastructure. This would pave way to scaling up the local economy and ease its build-up. To combat the omnipresent algae in the future, the introduction of simple predatory unicellular organism shall suffice. On the top of that, the algae in their abundance can serve a valuable fertiliser for the local soil, which is yet to be proven capable of supporting agriculture. High concentration of copper in the upper layers of soil is something to be taken into account. Confining it to oxides or removing using copper-eating bacteria should we be able to genetically engineer ones can be options to tackle the issue. However, the colonisers need to be careful not to cause extreme shifts in the local ecology which might result in decreasing the habitability of the planet. Our expedition took samples of the ground in various areas and will deliver them to Honshu for further chemical analysis and testing for cultivation of crops.

Moons of Sigma-63-δ

In the end of our expedition, mapped the moons of Sigma-63-δ and landed on three of them. Two more moons were mapped in addition to the six detected previously. For the sake of brevity of this report, I will discuss all of them grouped together. All of the satellites of Sigma-63-δ are of the similar rocky nature with seemingly cold non-metal cores. The latter is assumed based on the lack of magnetosphere detected. The atmosphere is also either missing or extremely thin. Four of the moons are small in size and do no pose interest in the system development. It should be noted, that if the system is developed in the future, these small moons are the most likely candidates for pirate bases. The four larger moons can theoretically host large bases of commercial or industrial interest to support the Helium mining from Sigma-63-δ. Two of the satellites as previously reported have thick ice shields on the surface. On one of the two, the admixture of ammonia in the ice crust makes it a less likely candidate to serve as the source of water for the mining stations. However, ammonia itself can be the interest for water and air purification and a fertiliser for colonies on Sigma-63-γ and adjacent mining facilities. The ice from the other satellite with the ice crust is purer and more easily filtered into distilled water. The other two large moons with readily available surfaces can serve as supplementary mining bases for Titanium, and Nickel traced on and under the surface. Overall, our observations confirm previous conclusion that Sigma-63-δ planetary system might be of interest for commercial mining but less so for colonisation per se. The moons do not have many valuable resources, and those present are more readily available elsewhere.

Having concluded this expedition and safely returned home, I wish to express deep gratitude to the research staff of Tenmei University and Haneda Imperial University of Honshu, as well as the crew both in the employ of Shimamori clan and from other organisations who took part in this exploration endeavour and committed their skills and determination to my humble call. All of the participants are justly rewarded for their contribution. I hope, that this expedition will be of use to the Reformed Empire of Kusari and its people, and will further the idea of peaceful expansion by colonisaiton as opposed to militarism and revisionism permeating the public discourse recently.

In service to the Reformed Empire of Kusari,
Emperor's loyal servant
Koushaku Shimamori Masahito of Nakashibetsu

Shimamori Masahito

LOG MESSAGE 1/26.07.829

Interior of the dome

It has been almost a year since the discovery of the Chubu system. By the grace of the Emperor, our clan has organised the planetfall on planet Nagoya (formerly Sigma-63-β) and the construction of the initial colony of Atsuka. In line with the results of the exploratory missions, the colony was constructed on the slopes of a mountain where the concentration of algae in the air is the lowest and where the access to water is the easiest. The colony of Atsuka now hosts 324 colonists, a significant increase from the original team of 48 people. With great pleasure, I must admit that the colony is already self-sustaining when it comes to water and simple food but is still dependent on medicine, hardware, biodomes, and more diverse food. As such, the colony of Atsuka cannot yet benefit the economy and is still highly dependent on the Empire but if the current trend continues, Kusari will benefit from another system to exploit for the benefit of the House.

As of now, the colony can sustain its water resources. The filters that have been delivered successfully clear the glacier water from the admixture of heavy elements, dirt, and algae. Additionally, water is delivered from the deposits of ice in the asteroid belt. A significant amount of water is used for hydroponics as well as for refining the green soylent. The ever-increasing energy needs of the colony so far can be covered by the geothermal power plant. Due to the volcanic activity of the mountainous region, in which Atsuka is located, the energy from the vents is easily accessible and can be harnessed with minimal energy losses. Solar panels have also been installed for additional energy generation but due to the cloudy weather most time of the day in the area, the future of the solar energy initiative remains in limbo.

The colony of Atsuka on planet Nagoya in 828 A.S.

Additional modules built throughout the year

As for the local activities, the increase in population and energy output has resulted in establishment of the first mine. Originally, mining equipment was used to dig the central hall for the subterranean part of the colony. After the completion of the works, the mining equipment was adapted to the extraction of the local deposits. The miners have not yet reached the deeper part of the mountain range and thus so far the ore extracted has a relatively low percentage of valuable metals. Yet the information obtained during the initial surveying has been confirmed: there are deposits of titanium, zinc, iron, as well as osmium, and tantalum. To a lesser degree, there are traces of other metals, including radioactive isotopes. With further development, this mine and other mines that can be potentially constructed can supply the Empire with valuable resources.

Subterranean layout

Nagoya has also been of exceptional interest to scientists of all sorts. Two dedicated teams from the Haneda Imperial university of Honshu and from Tenmei university are working planetside and operating a few outposts not far from Atsuka. Of particular interest is the capacity of the local algae to exist in conditions of high contents of copper dust in the atmosphere. Copper dust remains an issue yet unresolved: while filters counter its adverse effects perfectly fine, further expansion of the colony will remain problematic as long as no sustainable solution is found. Until then, the colony is to be expanded under the cover of the dome, the latter being quite expensive and complicated to maintain. Nevertheless, the researchers from the Haneda xenobiology department are experimenting with modifying the genome of the local algae to make them capable of consuming copper and thus triggering the terraforming reaction. As of now, gene editing has not yielded a viable culture. At the same time, the scientists need to examine carefully the impact of such a change on the local ecology and whether such an impact can have a detrimental effect on the colony.

The security of the colony has not yet raised any concerns. A small garrison of the clan forces upholds security and carries out the role of the KSP in the area, although so far there have been no crimes or conflicts due to the homogenous origin and interdependence of the colonists. Regular patrols by "Zuikaku" under the command of Akechi Kinoshita have provided sufficient protection in space. My sincere hope is that this safety will last. Luckily, the unlawful elements either have not yet been found or showed no interest in the system of Chubu.

The crucial issue right now is ensuring a stable connection with the colony. Recent observations have indicated that the jumphole has been more unstable than before. "Zuiryu" has been carrying out triangulation in Honshu to trace the possible shifts while the team of researchers aboard as well as on Honshu has been investigating how to artificially stabilise the jumphole. One of the suggested solutions provides the construction of a device using the Kasimir effect to exert additional force on the rift borders in the hope to stabilise the gravitational pool. Whether it is practically feasible remains to be seen.

In service to the Empire of Kusari,
Emperor's loyal servant
Koushaku Shimamori Masahito of Nakashibetsu