Horizon
Horizon (also called Alpha Centauri III) is a habitable continental world, colonised by the United Nations of Earth in 2203 CE. The planet has a nitrogen-oxygen atmosphere breathable by most sapient species and a sizable hydrosphere, with liquid water covering approximately sixty percent of the planet's surface. Despite a lack of moons and the twin stars it orbits, the planet has developed a resilient biosphere capable of supporting advanced life.
History
While Human astronomers had long known of two planets orbiting the red dwarf of Proxima Centauri, it wasn't until the first hyper drive-equipped probes entered the system in 2199 CE that a planetary system around the Alpha Centauri stars was discovered. Alpha Centauri III was quickly identified as a possible habitable world, and the first mission of the UNS Discovery was to determine its viability for a colony. When the science ship arrived in orbit of the planet, Captain Valentina Diaz became the first Human to set foot on a world outside the Sol System.The surveying of Alpha Centauri III by the UNS Discovery exceeded even the most optimistic projections for an exoplanet: it was fully capable of sustaining Human life with minimal life-support requirements. As per Captain Diaz's recommendation, the International Astronomical Union officially adopted the name "Horizon" for the world. Construction immediately began on a large colony ship, similar to those used by the Ulysses Initiative a century prior, but equipped with a hyper drive instead of using an unstable wormhole. The ship, the UNS Opportunity, made planetfall on Horizon on June 8th, 2203 CE Earth time.
Early colonisation of Horizon was conducted near-simultaneously to the colony on Terra Nova in the Sirius System. As such, something of a rivalry began to develop between the colonies. Both competed for resources and colonists from Earth, using the ever-growing fame of their discoverers (captains Valentina Diaz and Leonid Markov) to market themselves. Horizon began to specialise in mining and mineral extraction, though that quickly developed into a burgeoning manufacturing industry.
By the mid 23rd century CE, Horizon had established itself as a major manufacturing hub for the UNE's core space. The exodus of colonists from Earth to the colonies shifted the balance of politics and the economy, establishing many of the older colonies as economic peers to Earth in specialised economic areas. Horizon exploited this comparative advantage, and became the primary source for starship parts in the UNE core sector by the second half of the century. Its manufacturing capacity was only strengthened by the construction of the Alpha Centauri Habitat Complex in the 2270s CE.
Horizon was critical for providing the vast quantities of materials needed to construct Earth Station in the late 2290s CE. Large, pre-fabricated ring components were manufactured on Horizon and then shipped to the Sol System via cargo ship, where they were assembled around Earth. Earth Station, from planning to completion, took nearly twenty years to build, but provided a blueprint for further efforts. Horizon was the second planet to receive an orbital ring, and it was able to drastically speed the process by manufacturing its components on-site.
Economy
Horizon's economy is strongly focused on manufacturing; particularly heavy industry. Much of the planet's surface is covered by factories that produce vehicles, alloys, starships, prefabricated buildings, heavy industrial equipment, and chemicals. Although there are large sectors of consumer, electronic, and light manufacturing, heavy industry present on the planet, it is a smaller portion of the economy. A majority of the minerals, metals, and other products needed to power Horizon's industry are imported, though the planet does have a small mining sector and relies on spaceborne in-system mining to some extent.Like the other developed colonies in the UNE's core sector, Horizon is forced to import most of its food and large parts of its energy supply. Although farms and power plants exist on the planet, they are insufficient to provide for its vast population and energy requirements. Also lacking a large entertainment industry, most cultural products are imported from Earth or Terra Nova.
Category
Continental World
Designation
Industrial World
Continental World
Designation
Industrial World
Alternative Name(s)
Alpha Centauri III
Type
Planet
Location under
Included Locations
Owning Organization
Inhabiting Species
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