Eye of Tara

Fossil of one of more complex life forms from Eye of Tara planet, third planet of Tara system

Tara System

The Tara System has gained fame due to the confirmed presence of extraterrestrial life on one of its planets, which was initially indicated by the detection of chlorophyll. The system received its popular name after the first direct images of this planet were obtained, revealing a snowball-like appearance with a massive blue ocean perpetually facing the parent red dwarf star.

The planet was named Tara after a Hindu goddess known for her blue eyes. The name Tara has various meanings in different cultures, allowing for a global association.

The parent star has approximately one-third the mass of the Sun and is 100 times less bright. The planetary system consists of five planets, with the two closest being hot, lifeless worlds without atmospheres.

The third planet, like Earth in the Solar System, harbors life. The fourth and fifth planets are super-Earths with very thick atmospheres. The fourth planet also contains life - in microbiological for - which was transported there from the third planet via the Panspermia mechanism. This life shares the same genetic basis as that on the third planet and inhabits the upper layers of the atmosphere.

Water in the system

The entire system is encircled by a belt of comets located approximately 3 to 9 billion kilometers from the star. The gravitational forces of the two outer planets can pull comets and other objects from the belt into the inner regions of the system. This process provides the three inner planets with a significant amount of solid-state water on their surfaces.

The two innermost planets have ice only on their dark sides, due to their synchronous (tidaly locked) rotation, which keeps the same hemisphere facing the star. Otherwise, the ice would quickly evaporate when exposed to the star.

The surface of the third planet, known as Eye of Tara, is almost entirely covered by ice, with the remaining portion covered by a deep ocean - the Turquoise Eye. The system is roughly four billion years old, and the parent star has already exited its active, eruptive phase. However, occasional stronger flares can still occur, posing a threat to unsheltered life.

Eye of Tara

Water serves as the primary geological agent on this planet. A massive ice sheet, with its dynamics supported by the flow of underground water, significantly impacts the planet's surface. This has led to fractures in the planet's crust, and water also helps to partially mitigate the substantial temperature differences between both hemispheres.

Currently, approximately 5% of the planet's surface is covered by the ocean, but this coverage fluctuates, sometimes encompassing the entire surface.

The planet's atmosphere displays effects similar to those seen in Earth's atmosphere near the polar circles, such as coronas around the star and neighboring planets, iridescence in clouds, glories, and various halo phenomena.

The ocean features many trenches, some of which are deeper than the deepest trenches on Earth. A vast ecosystem exists beneath the ice in large subglacial lakes and rivers, which also extend to the planet's dark side. One of the more complex lifeforms found here is a cold-water coral-like animal.

Life thrives also on the ice's surface, primarily in the form of algae, either directly on the ice or in temporary surface lakes. Planetary-scale winds transport life closer to the terminator, and heat is conveyed in small amounts to the dark side through winds and subsurface water.

A small portion of the ice is covered by volcanic ash, causing localized melting. Glacier lakes can also be found on the dark side, formed by subsurface water leaks and geysers.

Planets visibility on Eye of Tara

An observer from Earth could see the first two planets as tiny disks during their closest approach to the planet, with a diameter roughly 15 times smaller than the Moon's angle diameter. These planets pass the disk of the star, which appears approximately twice as large as the Sun in Earth's sky.

The two outer planets are also visible from the dark side of the Eye of Tara. During the closest approach, the first outer planet appears half the size of the Moon's diameter, while the second outer planet has an angular diameter 30 times smaller than the Moon, appearing as a bright dot in the sky.

Parent star:

Mass: 0,31 of Sun

Radius: 0,29 of Sun

Luminosity: 0,013 of Sun

Temperature: 3480 K

Planets of the system:

A.

Distance: 4,25 mil. Km

Orbital Period: 5,37 days

Radius: 0,81 Earths

B.

Distance: 10,95 mil. Km

Orbital Period: 12,9 days

Radius: 1,01 Earths

C. (Eye of Tara)

Distance: 22 mil. Km

Orbital Period: 36,92 days

Radius: 1,12 Earths

D.

Distance: 32,77 mil. Km

Orbital Period: 66,95 days

Radius: 4 Earths

E.

Distance: 113,7 mil. Km

Orbital Period: 436 days

Radius: 2,3 Earths

Orbital Transformation Unit

Orbital Transformation Unit is a versatile unit designed for multiple applications in various environments. Typically, these units are deployed in large numbers, ranging from tens to hundreds or even thousands, in orbit around celestial bodies.

The platform is comprised of two primary components:

Shield - The shield comes in circular, hexagonal, or polygonal shapes with a diameter of approximately 25 meters. One side of the shield typically features a reflective surface, while the other side is equipped with photovoltaic panels.

Central part - This part of the platform houses communication and remote sensing equipment, including powerful "effectors" such as multi-functional lasers and microwave antennas capable of producing tens of kilowatts. Precise positioning, orientation, and fine adjustments of individual components are managed through multiple electromagnetic gyroscopes. Synchronization with other orbiting units is maintained using small lasers for distance measurement and short-range communication.

The platform offers numerous capabilities, such as:

• facilitating terraforming processes by either heating (frozen carbon dioxide on Mars) or cooling (in the case of Venus - shading the surface, creating an artificial magnetic field, and vaporizing part of the atmosphere) specific areas of a planet using reflected starlight and directed energy from effectors, or by shielding the surface. Additionally, it can illuminate surfaces perpetually shrouded in darkness by creating a bright spot 7 km in diameter, with a luminosity equivalent to 5-10 full moons under Earth-like conditions.

• providing shielding against a star's ionizing radiation, primarily charged particles, using both its physical structure and an artificial magnetic field powered by photovoltaic panels. This is particularly useful for planets with weak or nonexistent magnetic fields, such as Venus or Mars.

• establishing a robust communication mesh network during the early stages of colonization or terraforming, or assisting ground communication through ionization of upper atmospheric layers.

• serving as an energy source by transmitting power to the ground via effectors. A vast swarm of platforms can even encompass an entire star, forming a Dyson sphere that captures a significant portion of the star's energy output (for example white dwarf in the case of Stellarvore project, or the smallest red dwarfs in other cases).

• powering solar sails for travel within a solar system or to other star systems. Units dedicated to this purpose or those serving other functions, such as terraformation, can be employed to accelerate solar sails toward a specific destination.

• supplying additional energy to space stations through groups of free-floating units positioned nearby.

These units are mass-produced with minor modifications, using materials sourced from small asteroids and other celestial bodies across multiple star systems. Hefaistos Defense Systems is the primary provider of these units.

Close-up view of the central part - featuring laser and microwave antenna

A more distant perspective showing the reflective side of the shield

"Belt of Light" - a series of glowing points in the sky created by OTUs

A representation of a Dyson sphere composed of loosely connected hexagonal OTUs

Multi-Functional Combat Vehicle (MFCV)

The Multi-Functional Combat Vehicle (MFCV) is an armored vehicle featuring either a tracked or wheeled chassis. Armed with a 40 mm cannon, a coaxial machine gun, and one or two drum magazines containing up to fourteen guided missiles, this versatile vehicle can fulfill multiple combat roles. These roles include serving as an infantry fighting vehicle, providing artillery support, and engaging in anti-tank and anti-aircraft combat, which enhances the flexibility and effectiveness of a combat unit.

The MFCV's ability to assume a wide range of roles is attributed to its 40 mm cannon, which has an elevation capacity of up to 80 degrees. This enables the cannon to function as a mortar or an anti-aircraft weapon in specific situations. The vehicle's combat efficiency can be further improved with the use of laser-guided ammunition [1].

In addition to traditional 40 mm ammunition, laser-guided projectiles based on reactive material structures [2] can be utilized. These materials enhance the projectile's destructive force while compensating for the weight loss resulting from the embedded laser-guidance equipment, making them even more potent than conventional ammunition.

Laser guidance mitigates the disadvantage of the cannon's larger caliber and a lower rate of fire compared to 20 mm multi-barrel anti-aircraft guns by increasing the likelihood of hitting targets and enabling accurate targeting at greater distances with enhanced destructive effects. This feature allows the MFCV to damage heavily armored air targets, such as well-protected sections of attack helicopters or the ceramic cockpit of an A-10 fighter that can withstand a 23 mm projectile.

Laser guidance is not easily disrupted by current aircraft countermeasures  (for example advantage of Swedish MANPAD system RBS-70) There are no widely used devices for laser jamming. Thus, it may be giving it an advantage over conventional 20 mm anti-aircraft guns. The same applies to laser-guided missiles stored in drum magazines.

The combination of high elevation and slightly larger caliber, compared to traditional infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) or anti-aircraft guns, makes the MFCV suitable for indirect fire support. Although the smaller caliber may result in a reduced destructive effect compared to mortars, this can be compensated for by firing in bursts and at a higher rate. Laser guidance can be used in the final phase of projectile flight, with guidance provided by infantry or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) [3].

The vehicle's turret can be fitted with one or two drum missile magazines (each holding seven missiles). In the transport position, only two missiles are visible from the front view, with one in the center and one on top (one of six missiles in a revolver-style drum). Missiles in this position can be used for direct combat. When the top missile is fired, another one from the drum automatically moves into the firing position.

These missile magazines, along with their protective casings, can also serve as standoff armor. They can be loaded with various types of missiles to perform different tasks, such as anti-tank, anti-air, anti-personnel, and artillery missiles, or multi-purpose laser-guided missiles with combined effects.

The MFCV was first introduced by Hefaistos Defense Systems.

MFV in fire position for indirect fire support

[1] Sandia’s self-guided bullet prototype can hit target a mile away: Demonstrating that laser guidance can be incorporated even in smaller calibers, such as 0.5 caliber.

[2] Reactive Material Structures (RMS): Solid materials that cannot be detonated but can be activated by the explosion of a projectile, forming non-explosive parts of the projectile and increasing its destructive effect during the explosion.

[3] Weapons: Laser Guided Mortar Round: Example of laser-guided mortar shells.

Epsilon Mu Manipulators and Space-Altering

Devices developed at Hefaistos Defense Systems' Shadow Labs have various applications, all based on the principle of altering the fabric of space-time. These vacuum manipulators can modify the properties of the surrounding vacuum, specifically permittivity and permeability (physical quantities that measure a material's ability to support the formation of magnetic and electric fields). These properties are represented by the Greek letters ε (epsilon) and µ (mu), which inspired the name.

By altering these properties, vacuum manipulators can dynamically change the index of refraction in a specific region of space, enabling them to bend beams of light and other electromagnetic radiation.

Currently, vacuum manipulators offer a wide range of functionalities, such as:

• protection against cosmic radiation
• shielding from short-wavelength radiation caused by the relativistic Doppler effect at speeds approaching the speed of light
• invisibility to various detectors based on electromagnetic radiation (radars, IR cameras, human eye)
• defense against beam weapons
• manipulation of matter through direct or indirect effects of localized changes

Ongoing research aims to further explore significant space/vacuum alterations, allowing for experiments investigating the behavior of various particles under the influence of more fundamental changes in space-time. This understanding could help scientists comprehend how different universes with distinct initial setups function.

The results of these experiments may also contribute to advancements in superluminal speed engines, primarily in terms of energy efficiency.

This approach can be succinctly described as creating an "altered space-time" bubble that envelops a spaceship. The bubble, with its modified space-time, enables particles (and energy in general) inside it to travel at speeds exceeding the speed of light within our universe.

An analogy for this approach can be drawn from underwater torpedoes surrounded by an air bubble, which helps reduce water drag. In this case, the bubble lowers the "drag" of the surrounding space-time, decreasing the energy required to accelerate a particle at increasingly higher speeds.

The Story - Resurrection III.

The white spots on the dark side of the second planet resembled a lopsided snowman. Korven observed the view from the base situated at Tara's fourth Lagrangian point. He had also witnessed planets crossing the star's disk, vibrant auroras gracing Tara's sky, and much more.

He shuttled between this base and another floating on the surface of Tara's only ocean. There wasn't much for him to do, aside from observing. At times, the events around him seemed to unfold rapidly, while during other, more extended periods, he simply shut down.

The primary purpose of the ocean base was research, followed by the business interests of various people and entities. The base was shared by numerous minds and societies, reflecting the increased diversity in the wake of the intelligence explosion. Only a few enhanced humans inhabited the base, and Korven was among them.

Adjusting to this new situation proved challenging for him. It reminded him of a time before his enhancements when information wasn't readily available at a moment's thought. His uploaded cortex representation had been initialized after the explosion and stored on Tara. He had never wanted to be an imperfect copy of the original, but it happened as part of his contract with Hefaistos. Due to resource sharing, his consciousness sometimes lagged, making the events around him seem to happen very quickly. The base now had to accommodate a large number of awakened minds. Additionally, reports from other systems arrived only sporadically. Everything appeared like a movie to him, leaving him bored. Yet, his boredom was gradually transforming into a desire for revenge. He wouldn't let this situation end so easily.

The Story - Resurrection II.

He watched as the surrounding structures began to collapse inwards, the dining room vanishing amidst the debris, indistinguishable from the pile of rubble. An entire quarter of the base was engulfed in flames, and numerous drones took to the sky, moving about like flocks of birds.

The base was shaped like a cross, with a spaceport at its center. Each arm of the cross consisted of two long platforms with cranes and other equipment. Upon closer inspection, the distinct shape dissolved, and the entire scene resembled a vast ant colony teeming with countless small drones and irregular, functional structures.

One side of the base was severely damaged, the flames blending with the blood-orange glow of the star as it scattered throughout the atmosphere. The star, appearing twice the size of the Sun in the sky, hung low just above the horizon, its shape distorted by refraction.

That was all he could see on the recording. His last memory before the incident was falling asleep in his room, leaving a 19-hour gap between the event and his recollection. Some other video footage of him was available, but it only showed him walking through corridors. He decided to review it later.

"You were awakened after 68 hours when we managed to contain the effects of the explosion and secure sufficient resources. The attack on the base was one of multiple simultaneous assaults within the system. Other incidents occurred on the second planet and at mining facilities in the outer regions. We've lost almost all connectivity to the Hypernet, with only two small data portals remaining. Additional connections will arrive in the next 8 months via superluminal ships from Strongpoint 9," said a voice, adding, "That's all I can tell you for now."

The voice was his sole source of information since waking up. As it paused, an eerie silence and emptiness enveloped him. There was nothing to see—only emptiness and his thoughts.

Orbital Plots

I wonder about the future of space exploration: how to finance projects beyond Earth's orbit and gain experience in space exploration and colonization?

My answer is: Orbital plots

Creating basic, scalable infrastructure that provides a stable orbit, communication, and energy (and its storage) for tenants could be a solution. Initially, autonomous orbital plots maintained by robots and avatars could later host the first commercial astronauts.

The prospect of more affordable space flights from companies like SpaceX will enable smaller businesses to access orbit, opening up opportunities for a wider range of industries. These platforms can be accessible to various parties without restrictions and available to all nations worldwide.

Orbital plots would be most beneficial for projects that don't require a specific orbit for operation. The main goal is to lower the costs of maintaining private devices in orbit, making them more affordable and independent of proprietary infrastructure and engines. Such devices could also spend a long time in orbit, without dependence on their own resources.

Orbital plots could host existing and future services, such as:

• automated zero-gravity experiments
• remote sensing
• Internet access provision (part of a network, or access points of more such networks)
• zero-gravity factories for alloys, drugs, and transparent aerogels
• microchip factories
• deployment of lab modules from various countries
• hosting space hotel modules from multiple companies at once
• deep space missions refueling
• sensors useful for the detection of NEOs
• small autonomous space telescopes
• space debris removal
• maintenance robots servicing satellites

.. and many more.

Orbital plots could facilitate moving heavy industries to space, as envisioned by Jeff Bezos turning Earth into a protected nature reserve for the benefit of all humanity.

An interesting possibility is converting the ISS into an orbital plot, as NASA plans to hand it over to private companies within the next decade. This could be a starting point for future projects (with support from companies like Amazon).

The experience gained can be applied to constructing larger structures further from Earth, attached to asteroids, hosting multiple private parties, and sending manufactured goods back to our planet.

The Story - Resurrection I.

Small fragments of ice were tossed about on the dark blue surface of the ocean by large waves. From the observer's distance, these waves seemed rather insignificant. The frigid exterior was faintly illuminated by weak, orange beams of light emanating from the obscured horizon, hidden just behind a towering structure.

The sky was a blend of dark red and blue, with hardly any clouds except for a few wispy cirrus formations. Fortunately, the chilly weather was separated from the cozy dining room by a transparent barrier. At this hour, the dining room bustled with activity as people from nearby laboratories gathered around a long buffet table laden with two lengthy portions of in vitro meat – fish and beef.

Korven, however, was primarily focused on the outdoor scenery, gazing up at the sky while cradling a warm mug of tea in both hands. He was lost in the music playing in his ears, undistracted by any messages from home, taking a moment to unwind. Having just finished his meal, he continued to observe the view, framed by the construction site with its numerous mechanical arms and cranes on either side. A solitary moving object, a trimaran drone, was docking directly beneath the section housing the dining room.

And then...

The Story - Worm's Nest I.

Dimly illuminated ice crystals, barely visible as they lay scattered on the ground, began to stir due to underground movements. The shifting soil revealed an elongated, many-legged, insect-like creature, resembling a colorless spiny worm—an unnamed species distinguished only by its genomic entry in a catalog. Roused from its lethargic energy collection underground by warm gusts of wind, the creature awakened. The wind originated from the ever-present crimson horizon, occasionally obscured by clouds.

The creature had started to breathe deeply fresh air from the atmosphere, an atmosphere low in oxygen. The fresh air had filled its body through its many noses, located throughout the body. While just standing, its two pairs of wings, relatively small in comparison to its body, started to appear on its back.

A slightly brighter red dot stood out in the sky—the red dwarf, twin to the planet's home star and part of this binary-star system. Though currently alone, it was sometimes accompanied by planets wandering the outer reaches of the system. The creature saw the star more brightly, as its vision is shifted further into the infrared spectrum, where red dwarfs emit most of their electromagnetic energy. This type of vision was more useful here, aiding in foraging and locating shelter, typically warm spots emanating from underground where most animals resided in the colder regions of the planet, a short distance from the terminator.

The male creature instinctively moved further from the terminator and toward the colder parts of the planet in search of a mate. The females, larger and more resilient, lived in the coldest habitable areas, deterring predators and forcing males into a lifelong performance that led to the natural selection of the strongest individuals. They recognized each other in the vast frozen wasteland through infrared flashing, partially visible in visible light as well. In the end, the male would be consumed—but the same fate awaited the females. They would return closer to the terminator, where their offspring would eventually devour them. In the best cases, nearing the end of their lives, the females would sacrifice themselves to a predator or scavenger, transferring their young to the new host as parasites.

However, this particular male's journey came to an abrupt end. A remotely controlled avatar's leg crushed the creature, eliminating it from the planet's gene pool. The avatar continued its rapid journey, venturing deeper into the darkness towards the far side of the planet.

Phoenix: Reusable Second Rocket Stage

The Phoenix is a reusable second rocket stage designed for efficient and safe re-entry. Its heat shield is strategically positioned at the top of the stage, directly beneath the payload. After completing a few additional orbits around Earth, the Phoenix uses the remaining fuel to decelerate sufficiently for a controlled ocean landing. For a gentler touchdown, parachutes are deployed—similar to the Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Booster of the past. Upon landing, recovery ships are dispatched to retrieve the stage. The Phoenix system is maintained and operated by Hefaistos Defense Systems.

Orbital Plots

Construction of the first orbital plot began in the mid-2030s as a successor to the retired International Space Station (ISS). These platforms shifted their focus towards commercial usage rather than primarily research-based ISS. The orbital plots offer communication, energy, and stable Earth orbits for tenants, typically housing equipment for remote sensing, internet access, microgravity labs and factories, fuel resupply for deep space missions, and in some cases, space hotels. To minimize light pollution, the size of an orbital plot is generally smaller, encompassing up to a quarter of a square mile. The entire structure is primarily managed by avatars operated from Earth, with some orbital plots utilizing Inchworm Space Arm for maintenance. Hefaistos Defense Systems introduced the first orbital plot platform.

Inchworm Space Arm

The Inchworm Space Arm is a versatile autonomous system designed for various tasks, such as maintaining orbital plots and assisting with cargo ship docking. Unlike fixed-point systems, it can maneuver across entire structures, making it highly adaptable. The space arm is equipped with rollable flexible solar panels as an independent energy source and stores energy in lithium-air batteries housed within the arm itself.

Both ends of the arm serve specific functions: one end is designed for secure attachment to the structure during work and can also be used for additional charging, while the other end houses an array of maintenance tools. This dual-purpose design enables the Inchworm Space Arm to efficiently perform a wide range of tasks in the space environment.

Stellarvore Project

No star will shine tonight.

No star, no matter how bright.

...

Spread thine countless tentacles

...

Strangle their flickering flames,

Eat them whole.

...

And from its reeking darkness

A new kingdom shall ascend,

Erected on the pillars

Of the ever-burning underworld.

...

At the center of the world!

...

Come forth; Thou who eats the stars!

[1]

Stellarvore, translating to "eater of stars" in Latin, is a project initiated with the construction of a Dyson sphere around a white dwarf, Procyon B, which is a companion to one of the nearest stars, Procyon, situated 11.45 light-years from Earth.

The floating construction surrounding the companion star serves to capture nearly all of the energy radiated by the dwarf. The Dyson sphere was built by Hefaistos Defense Systems to power their Shadow Labs projects, including testing of Epsilon Mu manipulators and antimatter creation. Initially intended as a test facility to prove the concept, the success of the Stellarvore project has paved the way for the construction of additional Dyson spheres around more stars.

Procyon B was chosen as the ideal candidate due to its small size (approximately 17,000 km in diameter), allowing the Dyson sphere to be built closer to the star. This not only reduces the amount of material required for construction compared to Dyson spheres around main sequence stars but also provides greater stability. Moreover, the sphere's proximity to the white dwarf allows for an Earth-like gravity level within its habitable zone, addressing the microgravity challenges faced by larger, more distant spheres around bigger stars.

The first Dyson sphere consists of a loose collection of independent objects (Orbital Transformation Units), orbiting Procyon B. The sphere's surface also gathers additional energy from the Procyon A star, which is located approximately 10 AU away and has a luminosity roughly seven times greater than the Sun.

The entire system was constructed using debris orbiting both stars.

[1] Selected parts of Stellarvore lyrics - song of Watain (Swedish black metal band) - from their third studio album, Sworn to the Dark, released in 2007.