Triton

Template:Legacy LoreTemplate:InfoboxPlanetTriton (also known as Neptune I) is the largest satellite of the planet Neptune in the Sol System. It is the seventh-largest moon in the system, somewhat larger and more massive than the dwarf planets Pluto and Eris at 2707 km diameter and 0.0035% the mass of Earth. It is a major human colony, although by Sol System standards it is a minor one with a population of about 100 million. It is the largest moon that hasn't been terraformed in the system. It is also holds one of the largest populations for an unterraformed body within the system. It is known to house many underwater cities. It's capital is the underwater city of Nodens.

History

Scientists are now certain that Triton used to be a Kuiper Belt object which was captured by Neptune's gravity millions of years ago. It was first observed by astronomer William Lassell in 1,846 CE. The first human exploration of the object was the famous probe Voyager 2 in 1,989 CE, when the scientists involved in the mission decided to sacrifice the chance of exploring Pluto to study Triton instead. The first human explorers to step on Triton did so during the Great Solar System Tour.

Although receiving relatively little attention from the colonists who mainly went for the Jovian and Saturnian system, Triton (and Neptune) had their own colonists arrive on 2,390 CE. The low solar intensity around Neptune and a lack of valuable minerals, however, made such endeavors less profitable compared to those coming to Mars or Europa, for instance. Due to this, the population on Triton remained below 25,000 until well past the year 3,000 CE.

A team of scientists surveyed the system further and determined a terraforming would be disastrous for the planet (the crust of the planet consisted of volatiles), and would take a massive amount of time and resources. Hence humans had to continue living in biodomes and habitats dotted throughout the moon. After the initial expansion the population growth slowed and the population only reached 10 million by 9,250 CE. By 20,000 CE, the moon had a population of around 100 million.

Triton exploded in population after the investment and creation of a series of underwater cities, some of the only ones in the entire Sol System. This increased the living space of the moon, and made it a far more attractive tourist spot. This lead to a population explosion. By the 200th Millennium, it is home to about 10 billion people.

Underwater cities

Triton was eventually invested in by outside companies from sea-focused planets, and a series of underwater cities were proposed. Eager to increase it's relevance within Sol, Triton accepted this offer, and construction began of the underwater cities. This process was completed in 20,500 CE.

The underwater city of Nodens became the capital of Triton - A sprawling, towering city that is lit up by the interior lights of the living. submarines act as public transportation, along with submerged train lines and pressure-safe reinforced walkways. The lessons from other underwater colonies were transferred to Triton, and the lessons from Triton have been imported to other worlds outside of Sol.

Climate

Triton's climate is extremely frigid, with an average global temperature of around negative two hundred and thirty-seven degrees Celsius (-396 degrees Fahrenheit,) making it the coldest object in the Sol System, and making it cold enough for frozen nitrogen to exist on its surface.

The moon holds a thin atmosphere that takes the appearance of a haunting purple-colored haze across the moon. This atmosphere is made up of mostly nitrogen created by the countless cryo-volcanoes that exist on Triton's surface, with small traces of methane interspliced as well. While this atmosphere is extremely thin and mall, it allows for clouds to exist across it.

Triton's dim atmosphere on the night side of the moon.

Economy

Triton is the headquarters of a multitude of intersystem companies which are not large enough to open their main office in the core planets, forming the base of the local economy. The lack of a substantial atmosphere with noticeable gravity also made it a local tourist attraction to experience 'a genuine moon' (colonists from outside the system deal with this routinely).

A mining industry exists which extracts ices and exotic compounds from the planet. Most of Triton's population work somewhere else in the system, though, and commutes with an interplanetary shuttle service. Triton's biodome agriculture produces a slight surplus which are mainly exported to Luna.

Due to the creation of underwater cities, Triton has seen an increase in it's tourist trade. It has also utilized the opportunity to invest heavily in sea-farming techniques to provide locally grown organic food for it's population. It also exports these crops to nearby colonies who aren't able to get fresh foods easily.

Military

Triton's position as a solar system body dictated a need for protective military. Triton holds its separate armed forces district within the Sol Military HQ, the Tritonian Division. Its juridiction includes all the moons of Neptune (but not Neptune itself). It is manned by about 300 thousand men.

Despite so, no attacks have ever been attempted by terrorists or foreign entities on Triton, perhaps due to its lack of a strategic/morale target.

Since the construction of it's sub-surface ocean cities, Triton has become a training ground for underwater operations for military forces. It has been known to export these skills to other members of UFSS and the Confederacy.