Nichols serves as a distribution point for Helium 3 for role play purposes and for out of role play purposes. Selling H3 for 7000 when we buy it for 3500 means the base can self sustain. I know a handful of non OSI members who use Nichols in some of their trade routes if H3 is on it - and that is what we wanted.
The base sells Toxic Waste as it is a direct route from Nichols to Aland for robotics.