The solar system of the UKSDC universe is bustling with life: from subterranean stations on Mercury, to the atmosphere of Venus, and the shadows of the asteroid belt, humans have made their homes. A significant number of these are private developments focused on making use of the unique environments possible in space such as, bioprinting services making use of microgravity, or refineries using the linear variation in gravity to separate materials more effectively.
Amongst these are several prestige settlements, commissioned, run, and owned by major international organisations including The Foundation Society, The Horizon Group, and The Wayfairer Collective. These settlements typically host a larger population and operate more like a city than a science station or industrial estate. They aim to enable independent developers to make use of proximity to suppliers, a free workforce/consumer-base, and any advantages of their location. This stimulates economic growth in the location of the solar system, and often leads to payback times on the order of 60 to 100 years, despite the terrific cost of such settlements.
As part of a global effort to both rapidly lift living standards and significantly reduce climate impact, humanity sought to reduce resource scarcity and industry on Earth by looking off-world. Coinciding with innovations from Earhart and Condor to significantly reduce orbital transportation costs, the UN formed The Foundation Society, an organisation tasked with coordinating this global effort and proving the viability of expanding humanity into space; laying the foundations of a better tomorrow.
The first permanent-living space settlement proves the viability of space-based living, constantly evolving over time as new modules, technologies, and techniques are tested. While a success, the settlement is significantly over budget without space-based infrastructure to reduce transportation and manufacturing costs.
“It cannot be understated how pivotal the Beacon program has been at showing us how to reach the stars.” - Skyward Magazine
The successor to Beacon I, Beacon II hosts the facilities of private companies where they can expand their business spacewards. Taking the lessons learned from Beacon I, Beacon II was constructed fully in space, drawing on novel manufacturing techniques and materials. The settlement also acts as a staging ground for large constructions on orbit, such as ships frames and panelling.
Led by Atlas, this is the first source of fuel production in space by processing and refining frozen water. The creation of this settlement is pivotal to significantly reduce the cost of hydrogen fuel for transportation, and life support systems in space.
Focused on metal mining and processing, this settlement provides materials for the basic structural elements of space settlements. Reducing the reliance on materials launched from earth as part of the Foundation Society's long term vision to produce steel and aluminium in space for simple fabrications.
“With such a drop in the price of these [resources], one does wonder how much longer it will be until we see a successful private enterprise in space.” Isabel Reed, ON (Orbitlink News) Analyst
The first fully zero-g tourist destination for those living on Earth or the Moon, notable for its bipyramid construction. The settlement is considered the culmination of the Foundation Society’s efforts, though some wonder whether the space settlement construction should be handed over to private interests going forward.