In 2920 a new earth-type planet has been discovered. Orbiting the star known as 'Dubhe' at a range of 23 parsecs from Sol (familiar to Earth astronomers as the orange star in URSA MAJOR) and reported as 'a green and inviting world'. The discovery team, Japanese scientists from the Solar Science Institute, has dubbed it 'New Edo' and claimed it in the name of the Republic. [The game will be its first phase of colonisation].
URSA MAJOR Current Hyperspace Speeds: most vessels are capable of half a parsec per day; (half theoretical maximum)
Communications are hence four times faster at two parsecs a day. Hence, travel Earth- New Edo is 46 days. Comms approx. 12 days.
Excerpts from the Report of the Solar Science Institute, Dr Takashi Mitsubishi commanding Interstellar Survey Vessel 'Katana', StarDate 2920.115
My survey team and I overflew the planet for two days and then spent five days on the northern flank of the Equatorial Continent.
Planetology. This planet is in many respects extremely earthlike, gravity being 0.95G and the atmosphere 25% Oxygen with high but not dangerous levels of carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide. A local day lasts 24 hours and a local year is 400 days long. Ocean covers 75% of the surface. See Map 1. The orange sun Dubhe is 0.8AU distant. Meteor infall is low. The planet has three small airless moons.
Magnetic field strength is 1.05 that of Earth. The planet has very high vulcanicity and all land shows evidence of numerous lava flows. There are three continents and numerous archipelagoes . All three continents are in the form of gigantic volcanic craters with associated lava plains. The Northern Polar is flooded and frozen; the Southern Polar is erupting and is mostly covered with red-hot lava fields. The Equatorial Continent seems the most likely site for early colonisation.
Although currently a large quantity of carbon dioxide and various toxic gases is being produced from a central crater sea, the quantity is diminishing and it is believed that the eruption will soon stop completely. Furthermore, there are large areas of extremely fertile land, created by ancient lava flows through cracks in the crater walls, which are immediately accessible (see Map 2). Preliminary geological surveys indicate the likelihood of extremely rich lodes of Red Mercury and other minerals, especially inside the crater. The local soil is very fertile. Local temperature is very steady [away from hot outgassings] at 27C with low seasonality.
Biosphere. Local life is DNA-based and is mostly edible to humans. The ecosystem is in some ways reminiscent of the Jurrasic Era on Earth.
This planet has a hazard rating of 3.6; well inside accepted parameters for immediate colonisation.
Dr Takashi Mitsubishi, SSI