Aster › Space program › Ares Bastion
Ares Bastion
Position on the route: 14/157 · level needed 1 · journey (Mk0 engine) 5.4 h
By the numbers
| Place | Mars orbit |
|---|---|
| Power | 60 MW solar + 8 RTGs |
| Communications | colony relay and a deep-space dish |
| Berths | 12 per member |
The story
Ares Bastion is the Terra Empire’s port in Mars orbit. It sits above the planet’s dust storms, in a parking orbit near Phobos and Deimos. Sunlight at Mars is only 43 % of Earth’s, so huge panels make 60 MW and eight RTGs give backup power.
The bastion is also the communications relay of all the colonies on Mars: conversations with Earth pass through its deep-space dish. The dockyard gives shelter and a fuel depot to ships caught in a storm.
Missions
- A port and relay for the Mars system
- Real counterparts: Mars orbiters (MRO, MAVEN) and Mars Telecommunications Orbiter proposals
Colony note
A port, not a settlement. Only members of the Terra Empire may dock.
What probes bring back
- A bastion in Mars orbit, untouched by dust storms: its panels get only 43 % of Earth’s sunlight, but 60 MW is enough.
- The relay of the colonies: the bases on Mars talk to Earth through it.