Planet New Paris
<-- ga01_planet_1 -->
- New Paris was the first planet colonized by the Gallic Sleeper Ship's arrival in 84 A.S. (0 AGS). Biologically, the world is similar to Earth of the Carboniferous period (late Paleozoa). It has vast forests in equatorial and moderate regions but only a few large animal species capable of breathing atmospheric oxygen. Oxygen concentration on New Paris is similar to human-inhabited Earth, being about 24 percent (unlike true Carboniferous on Earth when the concentration was almost twice as high). This did not allow large insect species to develop, leaving more room for smaller amphibious tetrapods and predecessors of birds. Colder continental areas were scarcely inhabited and had no large land plants. Oceanic wildlife is extremely rich with a wide variety of species, most of them not bearing any similarity with any known Earth animals. The planet's climate was more or less similar to Earth, with temperatures as high as 60°C in equatorial regions, and frequently dropping below -60°C in polar regions.
- New Paris has undergone several periods of development, starting with isolated colonies that had highly reproductive populations. Very soon afterwards, large cities emerged from those settlements, and food demand forced them to exploit huge amounts of land to plant crops and raise animals brought from Earth. In many areas, indigenous wildlife was fully replaced with domesticated animals and plants originating from Earth, and accompanying species. Rapid industrial growth resulted in severe pollution that still affects certain areas of the planet, but was mostly cleared out in subsequent centuries. In about 200 AGS, the population of the planet was nearing 100 million, and huge urbanization centers emerged in moderate climate areas near convenient harbors. Those centers were named after old Paris districts, and three of them (Ile du Palais, Saint-Germain and Saint-Denis) have their own orbital docking rings.
- The population grew steadily and reached 5 billion by 600 AGS. Millions of people relocated off-world, with massive relocation campaigns taking place to populate worlds with huge resource deposits and industrial capacity, like Amiens (Provence), Bourges (Berry) and later Marne (Champagne). Apart from the relocation programs, many people left New Paris to find cheaper places to live and "new beginnings" for themselves, since New Paris gradually became the most expensive place to live in all of Gallia, except for resort planets, and Marseille in particular. Remote worlds with less comfortable climate provided (and still provide) far lower land and property costs. Ecology issues forced the removal of heavy industry away from New Paris to space stations in Ile-de-France and beyond. The few remaining old-style factories now serve as museums where citizens can observe impressive industrial landmarks similar to those seen on XXII century Earth. Currently, the planet with its 5,3 billion population is considered to be one of the most comfortable places to live in all of Gallia. The planet also never lost its status as the capital of the House of Gallia. Offices of the Royal Government and Royal Chancery, as well as the High Courts and the Parliament, are located within the largest urban centers of New Paris. The monarch with his or her court usually inhabits one of the numerous summer or winter Royal residences.
- Location: E/6
- Diameter: 12,418 km
- Mass: 5.95 x 10e24 kg
- Terrain: Terrestrial
- Temperature: -66°C to 68°C
- Escape Velocity: 11.28 km/sec
|
<-- ga01_planet_1_npi -->
Planet New Paris, Ile du Palais
- Ile du Palais is one of the three main space entrance points for Planet New Paris. The space port derives its name from the Island of Palace (Ile du Palais), named after an island on the river Seine in the heart of ancient Paris where Notre-Dame was located. The island was also known as Ile de la Cite.
- Ile du Palais is currently a name for the large island where the main summer residence of the Kings and Queens of Gallia is located. The island is 2102 square kilometers large, making it some 6,000 time larger than its historical prototype. The residence was built in the year 94 AGS by one of the first monarchs of the Valois-Clermont dynasty. When the Valois-Anjou dynasty came to power in 418 AGS, the residence was not used for over 150 years. After the return of the Clermont branch to power in 514 AGS, the residence was rehabilitated. The last significant renovation was undertaken during the reign of King Richard V.
- The space port of the same name is actually located on a nearby, smaller island, near a large city named Luxembourg. The city contains a number of government institutions, including the Royal Administration and Chancellor's Office. Governmental and parliamentary bodies of power are located in other cities across New Paris' major continents. The planet has no distinct capital city.
- Nowadays, Ile du Palais is one of the main destination points for civilians and civilian cargo going to and from New Paris. The space port is located near a large seaport and several airports that connect Luxembourg with the rest of the planet.
- Location: E/6
- Diameter: 12,418 km
- Mass: 5.95 x 10e24 kg
- Terrain: Terrestrial
- Temperature: -66°C to 68°C
- Escape Velocity: 11.28 km/sec
|
<-- ga01_planet_2_npi -->
Planet New Paris, Saint-Denis
- Saint-Denis is a convenient space port located in the equatorial region of Ile-de-France. While equatorial regions of the planet are less populated than moderate zones, the equatorial location provides for cheaper spacecraft launch. The large city of Saint-Denis has grown near the spaceport, with over 8 million inhabitants. It is the largest city in New Paris between 30 degrees South and North Latitudes.
- Saint-Denis grew to become a huge industrial center on a large continent in the eastern hemisphere of the planet, one of the primary shipping centers for large cargo coming to and from New Paris. Extensive mooring facilities in space provide more room for large transports than other planetary docks.
- Location: E/6
- Diameter: 12,418 km
- Mass: 5.95 x 10e24 kg
- Terrain: Terrestrial
- Temperature: -66°C to 68°C
- Escape Velocity: 11.28 km/sec
|
<-- ga01_planet_3_npi -->
Planet New Paris, Saint-Germain
- Saint-Germain space docking facilities were built around a densely populated archipelago not far from the equatorial zone of planet New Paris. Located in the western hemisphere of the planet, Saint-Germain is a common destination for civilian vessels and passenger liners. It is also used for transferring cargo to cities located in higher latitudes of the planet. Unlike other space ports located in Ile du Palais and Saint-Denis, Saint-Germain offers several possible space ports for crafts heading down from the docking ring. While it is convenient for small shippers, it also makes Saint-Germain harder to administer than other entry points for New Paris. Therefore, this place has become a preferred destination for smugglers and generally any New Paris visitors who prefer to keep their identity secret from law enforcement agencies.
- Location: E/6
- Diameter: 12,418 km
- Mass: 5.95 x 10e24 kg
- Terrain: Terrestrial
- Temperature: -66°C to 68°C
- Escape Velocity: 11.28 km/sec
|
Mennecy
<-- ga01_planet_2 -->
- Mennecy is a small dwarf planet located far off the orbital plane of the Ile-de-France system. Officially, it is an ordinary solar body comprised of methane ice and silicates that was formerly a moon of Planet Creteil. Some sources, however, indicate that Melun Research Facility was built in its orbit for a reason, and the dwarf planet contains valuable deposits of certain resources that the Royal Navy prefers to keep secret from the public and from corporations.
- Location: F/6
- Diameter: 820 km
- Mass: 19.50 x 10e23 kg
- Terrain: Barren
- Temperature: N/A
- Escape Velocity: N/A
|
Planet Chateau-Tierry
<-- ga01_planet_4 -->
- Chateau-Tierry is a remote desert world on the outskirts of Ile-de-France. In the earliest days of Ile-de-France's colonization it was considered as a potential site for a human settlement. Discovery of jump holes around the system rendered those plans obsolete since neighboring systems offered more attractive colonization options.
- Location: H/4
- Diameter: 9,430 km.
- Mass: 4.48 x 10e24 kg.
- Terrain: Desert
- Temperature: -146°C to 20°C
- Escape Velocity: 9.87 km/sec
|
Planet Les Ulis
<-- ga01_planet_5 -->
- Planet Les Ulis was one of the first solar bodies surveyed in Ile-de-France. Several mining outposts were established planetside in 100-120 AGS, but they were all closed down around 400 AGS when easily mineable deposits of aluminium and Beryllium were depleted, and the presence of mining operations on this inhospitable world was no longer necessary. Rambouilette Shipyard orbits the planet.
- Location: D/5
- Diameter: 7,280 km.
- Mass: 4.63 x 10e24 kg.
- Terrain: Barren
- Temperature: -58°C to 120°C
- Escape Velocity: 2.71 km/sec
|
Brunoy
<-- ga01_planet_6 -->
- Brunoy is the largest moon of Planet Creteil. It is a barren world devoid of atmosphere, located within the Senart Debris Field.
- Location: F/6
- Diameter: 1,143 km.
- Mass: 6.92 x 10e22 kg.
- Terrain: Desert
- Temperature: -144°C to 80°C
- Escape Velocity: 2.71 km/sec
|
Planet Meudon
<-- ga01_planet_7 -->
- Meudon is a large gas giant with thick atmosphere mainly comprised of hydrogene and helium with notable presence of methane. It is a well-known landmark on the trade lane route from Ile-de-France to Maine. Since early 200s, several stations were located in its orbit. Currently, Versailles Residence is the only one remaining. Shortly after Versailles was completed, other stations in the area were disassembled due to "safety precautions", and their components were transferred to construction sites located in Maine.
- Location: C/4
- Diameter: 25,712 km
- Mass: 15.81 x 10e24 kg
- Terrain: N/A
- Temperature: N/A
- Escape Velocity: 18.90 km/sec
|
Planet Clermont
<-- ga01_planet_8 -->
- Clermont is a medium-sized icy world located on the outskirts of Ile-de-France. The planet is devoid of any volcanic activity and has a crust comprised of water and methane ice. The planet is presumed to contain a dense rocky core. Thin atmosphere and lack of internal heat sources make the planet one of the coldest large solar bodies of Ile-de-France. By contrast, Montataire, the only moon of Clermont, is known for substantial volcanic activity and is actually warmer than its parent planet.
- Location: E/2
- Diameter: 9,475 km.
- Mass: 7.87 x 10e24 kg.
- Terrain: Barren
- Temperature: -200°C to -40°C
- Escape Velocity: 6.44 km/sec
|
Montataire
<-- ga01_planet_9 -->
- Montataire is the sole large moon of Planet Clermont. It is known for relatively high internal volcanic activity that once attracted a great deal of attention from Gallic astronomers. Some mining companies attempted to mine hydrocarbons from the planet, but deposits were hard to reach, and no further mining attempts were made.
- Location: D/3
- Diameter: 2,541 km.
- Mass: 6.14 x 10e23 kg.
- Terrain: Barren
- Temperature: -120°C to -10°C
- Escape Velocity: 3.26 km/sec
|
Planet Creil
<-- ga01_planet_10 -->
- Planet Creil is often considered to be the core of an ancient gas giant that was deprived of its atmosphere by some cosmic cataclysm, possibly a planetoid impact. Most of the former atmosphere is thought to be condensing around the planet as a cloud known as Senlis. Hidden deep within the cloud, Creil is a planet fully covered with vast and deep oceans that contain varied chemical substances, including organic matter. Complex organic molecules present on Creil are considered to be protobionts that could, according to some researchers, be very similar to ones found on Earth around 3,5 billion years ago. Those protobionts are considered to be progenitors of organic life on Earth, and Creil offers a unique opportunity to study early stages of life formation in natural conditions. The planet is regularly visited by scientific expeditions from New Paris and elsewhere, but attempts to find traces of true organic life were unsuccessful thus far.
- Location: F/2
- Diameter: 7,619 km.
- Mass: 6.25 x 10e24 kg.
- Terrain: Desert
- Temperature: -52°C to 90°C
- Escape Velocity: 8.55 km/sec
|
Villers-Cotterets
<-- ga01_planet_11 -->
- Villers-Cotterets is a small dwarf planet located within Retz Asteroid Field. It is the gravitational center of the field, being some 30 times heavier than all Retz asteroids combined. Much like the asteroids around it, Villers-Cotterets contained hydrocarbons that are currently mined out of the planet's crust using unmanned drones and shuttlecraft. The planet's surface is densely covered with asteroid impact craters.
- Location: F/4
- Diameter: 2,574 km.
- Mass: 2.79 x 10e23 kg.
- Terrain: Desert
- Temperature: -89°C to 90°C
- Escape Velocity: 3.63 km/sec
|
Planet Creteil
<-- ga01_planet_12 -->
- A large purple ice giant with a beautiful ring system, Creteil is a true gem of the Ile-de-France system. Its atmosphere is typical for gas giants, comprised mainly of molecular hydrogen and helium. The latter is still mined from the planet's atmosphere. Creteil lies between two of the largest debris fields found in Gallia, Senart and Bobigny. Debris matter from both fields is slowly drifting towards the planet. Larger debris fall down into the planet's vast atmosphere, while many smaller components start orbiting the planet as parts of its outer rings. Planet Creteil has only one large moon, Brunoy.
- Location: F/6
- Diameter: 28,544 km
- Mass: 16.45 x 10e24 kg
- Terrain: N/A
- Temperature: N/A
- Escape Velocity: 19.45 km/sec
|
Planet Evry
<-- ga01_planet_13 -->
- Evry is a medium-sized gas planet with significant amounts of sulfur compounds in its atmosphere. Sulfur is the main contributor to its distinct yellow color. Unlike most gas giants, Evry has an internal structure of a small terrestrial planet, but cannot be considered one due to extensive and dense atmosphere. No economically practical use of the planet's outer atmosphere has been found to date. Landing on its surface is impossible due to extreme atmospheric pressure.
- Location: E/7
- Diameter: 7,078 km
- Mass: 1.45 x 10e23 kg
- Terrain: N/A
- Temperature: N/A
- Escape Velocity: 3.98 km/sec
|
Planet Dourdan
<-- ga01_planet_14 -->
- Dourdan is located in the center of Chevreuse Asteroid Field. The planet was once extensively researched as a site for possible future terraforming. Ironically, surveys of the surrounding asteroid field conducted at the same time indicated presence of a jump hole leading to another system that was later named Orleanais. Discovery of a new means for interstellar travel rendered all ideas of terraforming Ile-de-France planets useless, since habitable planets were found in several systems that were one jump away from Ile-de-France.
- Location: C/7
- Diameter: 8,506 km
- Mass: 3.23 x 10e24 kg
- Terrain: N/A
- Temperature: N/A
- Escape Velocity: 5.14 km/sec
|
Planet Dreux
<-- ga01_planet_15 -->
- Dreux is a typical gas planet located on the outskirts of Ile-de-France. This otherwise unremarkable world was a site of the only battle of the First Gallic War that took place in the system. Known as the Battle of Dreux, this battle was fought in 509 AGS.
- Location: B/5
- Diameter: 6,078 km
- Mass: 2.97 x 10e23 kg
- Terrain: N/A
- Temperature: N/A
- Escape Velocity: 4.53 km/sec
|
Billancourt
<-- ga01_planet_16 -->
- Billancourt is a small barren moon of Planet Meudon. The place has no economic significance, and the Crown approved its usage as a target for testing missile weaponry for Royal Navy capital ships. The tests stopped after Versailles was built in the vicinity of the moon, but an eagle-eyed observer from the palace station may still make out traces of nuclear warhead impacts among the numerous craters.
- Location: C/4
- Diameter: 1,916 km
- Mass: 8.37 x 10e22 kg
- Terrain: Barren
- Temperature: -132°C to 52°C
- Escape Velocity: 2.41 km/sec
|
Clamart
<-- ga01_planet_17 -->
- Clamart is the only moon of Planet New Paris. Most of its surface is covered with ice, sometimes covered with thin layers of dust. The moon has a relatively heavy rocky core. Clamart was a logical choice for the first space expeditions from Planet New Paris. However, no significant mineral deposits were found on the moon, and it is currently used only as a training site for personnel subject to working in low-gravity conditions. Seen from the surface of New Paris as a large bright object, when full, Clamart has an apparent magnitude of -14,1.
- Location: D/6
- Diameter: 1,971 km.
- Mass: 11.64 x 10e22 kg.
- Terrain: Desert
- Temperature: -124°C to 20°C
- Escape Velocity: 3.04 km/sec
|