Beta Canum: Initial Spatial Survey Report

By: Jessica Sircar

Beta Canum: Initial Spatial Survey Report

SSR Team 27 – Moon Base 2

  • Target: Second planet orbiting the star Beta Canum Venaticorum

  • Background: Beta Canum Venaticorum is a yellow G-type star; on the H-R it is a Main Sequence G0 star. It is the second brightest star in the Earth constellation Canes Venatici. The star is commonly referred to by the name “Chara” from the Earth Greek Language meaning “Joy”. Chara has a visual magnitude of 4.26 and a surface temperature of 5860K. Initial satellite images have indicated 8 planets orbiting the star. All appear to be solid and in circular to near-circular orbits on slightly varied planes. The target of this mission is the second planet of the system 1.1 AU from Chara, official designation BCV 2, or Tiamat. There are two moons orbiting the planet, common designations Galatia and Ianthe.

  • Objective: Chara is located 27 light-years from Earth and will be reached using interstellar windows of two 10 year jumps and a 5 year jump with the crew in cryo-sleep which will take a total of 6 Earth Months. The next 2 Earth Months will be spent with the crew revived and reviewing the spatial aspects and anomalies in the planetary sector. This 2 month period will include close fly-bys of several other planets in the system and satellite observations of others. The SSR Team will remain in orbit around the planet Tiamat for 1 year before returning to Earth. Planet landings will be based upon the findings of the SSR Team and at their discretion. Before the SSR Team returns to Earth they are to assign one of the Spatial Survey Mission Designations to the planet for cataloguing purposes.

  • Mission Status:

    • Launch: The Initial Spatial Survey Report Team is cleared to leave Moon Base 2 on 25/12/2051 ED (Earth Date). All systems are reporting clear and ready for departure.

    • Space Travel: Ship computer systems are preparing for first interstellar jump and report all systems and cryo-sleep chambers operating at prime performance. Communication with the ship will be suspended until all interstellar jumps are completed and the team is awoken from cryo-sleep chambers upon reaching the Chara system. Emergency communications will remain active should they be needed and spatial relations monitoring will be maintained.

    • Arrival in the Chara System: Ship computer reports all SSR Team members successfully awoken from cryo-sleep and have begun re-acclamation and muscle toning. First reporting survey of Chara system is scheduled to begin in two weeks.

      • Captain’s note: All crew revived successfully. Computers are in full operational order. Crew compliments are as follows.

        • William F. Ahab – Captain, Computer Technician, Crew Doctor.

        • Tom Gallagher – Second Commander, Munitions and Tactical Officer, Astro-cartographer, Geologist

        • Marcus Collins – Crew Health and Culinary, Ship Mechanics.

        • Nicole Oaker – Crew Psychologist, Artistic renditions of mission findings, Astro-botanist.

        • Scott Cameron – Astro-Biologist, second Ship Mechanic.

        • Christina Holands – Navigation, Spatial Physicist, Shuttle Operations Technician.

        • Marie Troy – Oceanographer, Probe Mechanics and Operations.

    • Approach to second planet in the Chara System, designated Tiamat (Two Earth Months):

      • Observations of the planet confirm initial satellite information about a liquid surface. SSR Team is able to confirm the presence of an Oxygen-Nitrogen based atmosphere and a magnet field orientated East-West based on the planetary North-South Poles. There is no axial tilt of the planet indicating that there would be little variation in seasons during the planets orbit. The orbital period is estimated at 389 Earth Days with a 30 Earth Hour revolution. As stated in the initial satellite reports there are no visible land formations.

      • From the Chara system, the Earth is invisible. The Milky Way Galaxy is a dim part of an as-of-yet unnamed star formation. Telescope observations confirm that the Milky Way is in fact a Barred Spiral. The elongation of the “Bulge” has not changed since the 2019 Smith-Harper Space Exploration Survey as postulated in the Harvey Theory, however the spiral arms have become more defined as the “Halo Stars” move outward.

    • Stable orbit around Tiamat established and first surface probes launched to Tiamat and moon Galatia (Two Days):

      • Galatia –Named for an ancient term for the area of highlands of Asia Minor from the ancient Hellenistic period on Earth. The probe, nicknamed Gallia, landed near the equator of the moon and travelled to three preprogrammed sites to take samples. Samples came back with high concentrations of Nickel and Carbon. There are visible river beds that are dry but show the presence of liquid at one point in time; however, no samples indicated liquids of any kind. A second probe may be launched and landed near the Northern Pole to collect further samples. Galatia is tidal locked to Tiamat and located on a tilted plane in relation to the planet and the other moon. The observed orbit of the moon places it above Ianthe or below it as it would be visible from the planet. There are only three large crater formations on the moon, and few medium craters. Almost all the crater activity appears to be recent and more impacts appear in the Southern Hemisphere of the moon than the Northern.

      • Tiamat – Named for the Babylonian Sea Goddess of Creation. The probe, nicknamed Wendell. Wendell orbited the planet once before it returned to the ship. The probe once again showed that there were no visible land forms and it could not land so its mission was aborted.

    • Sub aquatic probe launched to surface of Tiamat and probe launched to moon Ianthe (Two Earth Weeks Preparation Time):

      • Ianthe – Named for the word meaning the purple color of the surface. The surface probe, nicknamed Professor Plum, entered the atmosphere of the moon but was destroyed before landing on the surface. Probe readings indicated a temperature of 800K and a noxious atmosphere of Sulfur and Neon. The surface appeared to be highly volatile or acidic as communication with the probe became static and then cut off; indicating that the probe did not crash but rather was destroyed. Ianthe is tidal locked to Tiamat and travels in a level plane around the equator of the planet. Not much else is know at this time; at present a second probe launch is not deemed a viable use of resources.

      • Tiamat – The sub aquatic probe, nicknamed Big Blue, entered the atmosphere and in stage 1 landed on the surface of the planet. Samples indicate the liquid is in fact liquid water and confirms the presence of phytoplankton on the surface which probably produce the oxygen in the atmosphere. Stage 2 was initiated and Big Blue submerged in increments of 10 meters until reaching a maximum depth of 100 meters. Samples taken at the incremental depths indicated the presences of living organisms of the pelagic type. The first sample indicated organisms ranging in size from 2x10-7 to 2x10-5 meters in size. At the third sample depth of 30 meters the organisms ranged from 2x10-5 to 2x10-2 meters in size. At a depth of 40 meters the presence of microorganisms drop in concentration and no larger organism were observed. The concentration of organisms continued to drop as Big Blue continued to its maximum depth of 100 meters. Big Blue will remain at this depth for two Tiamat Weeks before returning to the surface in reverse increments of 10 meters over a period of a further two weeks.

    • Orbital probe launched and continued data retrieval from Big Blue at 100 meters relative depth (One Week):

      • Probe Wendell re-launched with new commands to enter a stable planetary orbit around Tiamat. Wendell will remain in orbit for two Tiamat Months and continue surface observations.

    • One month from launch of Big Blue:

      • Big Blue is retrieved via ship shuttle piloted by Christina Holands and Marie Troy. Samples are studied by Marie Troy, Scott Cameron, and Nicole Oaker in ship lab 1. Big Blue observed larger aquatic life forms that fed off the plankton in the upper levels and larger predatory life forms in the middle depths.

    • Two months from launch of Wendell:

      • Wendell completes its program and breaks orbit to meet with shuttle at designated location. Once again the probe is retrieved by Christina and Marie. Data is analyzed by Tom Gallagher, Nicole Oaker and Christina Holands. Observations were made of large aquatic life forms breaching the surface. It appears that these life forms breathe in the atmosphere, probably oxygen, and then submerge in a similar manner to whales on Earth.

    • Fourth Month after arrival planning begins on a planed water landing of survey team:

      • Atmosphere of Tiamat has been approved stable for human survey teams to explore the planet. All land on the planet is submerged so a water landing of the shuttle craft is planned for two weeks.

    • Survey Team lands on the surface of the planet:

      • The shuttle crew safely landed on the surface of the planet. The water’s surface was slightly rougher than expected due to higher velocity winds at the surface than in the upper atmosphere. The survey team will remain on the surface for one week. In that time they will take samples of the water and the atmosphere. Observe the planetary weather and cloud formations. And assess the possibility of an Aqua Colony.

      • The major difference between Earth Oceans and the Oceans of Tiamat is the salt content. The water measures at an average of less than 5 parts per thousand as compared to Earth were the average is 35ppt. Because of this it smells more like a freshwater lake rather than on ocean on Earth. Marie Troy complains that Tiamat’s oceans don’t smell or taste like those on Earth likely due to the salt content.

      • The survey team returns with promising news; the planet could be a good candidate for an Aqua Colony.

    • Continued observations and planetary excursions planned.

    • Completion of mission scheduled for 1 Earth Year and two days from arrival in orbit.

  • Mission Report:

    • Mission to Chara system and observation of second planet designated Tiamat was successful.

      • Tiamat is a good candidate for an Aqua Colony. It will be recommended that the Dolphin Preservation Committee be notified about this planet as one of their optional Dolphin relocation sites.

      • Large whale like creatures were observed but it is unclear if they are mammals or not as their breeding habits were not observed. There are no indications of large carnivorous predators that would be dangerous to humans.

      • There are no landmasses, all land is submerged but several plateaus are located 10-20 meters below the surface and could provide a solid base for structural foundations.

      • The planet is active with plate tectonics visible in the form of deep water thermal vents and black smokers. Sulfur based organisms were discovered around the black smokers similar to those on Earth.

      • Phytoplankton is abundant enough on the surface of the planet to provide carbon dioxide – oxygen conversion for a small population, less than 100,000, with out the need for conversion equipment.

      • Sunlight is consistent enough to provide solar power as well as warmth on the planet surface. There were very few cloud system formations. This might be due to the lack of land formations. Ocean temperature seems to be regulated by the convection currents with in the ocean as well as upwelling of waters from thermal vents. The temperature near the surface seems to remain in a range of 40-60F.

      • Dissolved mineral concentrations in the water are abundant in carbon, gold, silver, cobalt, and iron. These minerals are not in a high enough concentration to justify water distillation mining. Ground drilling has revealed high levels of iron, nickel, and gold; mining for these ores is possible.

      • It is also possible that Galatia could host a colony. Water supplies would have to be provided. It is possible that astrobotany could provide enough oxygen and water condensation to provide for small operations on the moon of fewer than 10,000 inhabitants.

  • Planet Tiamat in the Chara system is designated a safe planet viable for habitation and will be listed in the Acceptable Colonization Planetary