Sirius Coalition Expeditionary Corps|SCEC - Communication Channel

[SCEC]

"Bystrina" Expedition

---

PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS OF PALMYRA

---

Today the crew of CPRV "Kardashev" under supervision of Doctor Belov and Aspirant Shweik commenced the research of planet Palmyra in Omicron Sigma station. This brief report underlines key findings and requirements for further research.

---

1. Logistics

---

Station Cairo of the Order is located in the Orbit of the planet, allowing immediate supply line in case of necessity. The presence of REDACTED has not yet been a problem due to vicinity of order capital vessels to the facility. Frequent zoner patrols allow delivery of specific goods for the expedition. Coalition patrols in the area as well as proximity to neutral GMG space and sphere of influence of friendly Apostasas provide needed space for mobility of the expedition without significant risks.

---

2. Completed Part & Faced Difficulties

---

Expedition has successfully retrieved samples of the atmosphere upper and lower layers, and glaciers' samples of up to 1992 m deep. The average depth of glaciers is estimated to reach 3 - 3.3 km. The expedition presumes reaching the outer planetary crux, therefore the glacier is to be drilled until lower altitude. Due to shift of glaciers as a result of using tachyon-based tectonic drill, it is necessary to drill another hole.

Throughout the process we faced the following difficulties:

1. extremely low temperature, detrimental to ordinary probes. The grid system starts to act up under such conditions;
   
2. high pressure; the gravitational constant for Palmyra is 3% bigger that standard one of Old Earth. Therefore, starting from the depth of 1 km our panels registered significant increase in pressure. In conjunction with thickness of glaciers, probe's detectors are less accurate;
   
3. the vapor emerging as a result of sublimation due to rapid temperature shift as a result of drilling with focused tachyon beam crystallises in a few milliseconds, creating a small field of chaotically moving micro ice-crystals that inflict damage to regular probe with armor plating not designed for such low temperatures which becomes fragile.
   

---

3. Further steps

---

In view of the above mentioned difficulties, the decision has been made to:

• employ a scouting drone rather than a probe with solid armor plating made of materials resistant to extremely low temperatures;
  
• equip the drone with portable nuclear reactor to provide the drone with additional energy and use dissipating heat as protective measure against low temperature;
  
• deploy a small shield over the hole to prevent the crystallised vapor from spreading into upper layers of the atmosphere, impeding communication with the drone and hindering visibility.
  

The drone will be modified using the technical bay of CPRV "Kardashev" while docked to Cairo station. As the fuel for nuclear reactor was chosen MOX that is to be delivered from Lyvadia shipyard by allied zoners or from elsewhere.

---

4. Findings

---

Atmosphere: planet is devoid of atmosphere. only weak traces of noble gas Ne, were traced in small proportions. The atmosphere also contains traces of H2O, H2O2, SO2, O2, О3. Most of those chemical compounds are blown away from the planet by radiation.

Temperature: extremely low, allowing permafrost to persist across all the planet. Presumably, indicates low tectonic activity and cold planetary core. Low temperature deep within the glacier drives to a conclusion of absence of under-ice ocean or any liquid water.

Magnitosphere: absent. Radiation level on the surface is extremely high.

Tectonic structure: yet not surveyed. However, absent magnitosphere indicates lack of metals in the composition of planetary crux and core. Moving glaciers indicate that those are not part of one big glacier but rather a few big plates. Presumably, those might be separated by mountaineous regions, which, however, are not tall enough to pierce through ice cover.

Glaciers: span across the whole planet. Have shallow cracks in some regions, visible from space. The chemical composition is mostly H2O with admixture of H2O2, MgSO4. The latter indicate possible presence of H2SO4 and previous volcanic activity on the planet. If so, the planet has undergone drastic changes to lose atmosphere and reach such a low temperature. However, further research of the crux itself is needed.

Life forms: not found.

Traces of civilisation / human activity: not found.

Current findings are of no practical use and can serve beneficially only for academia and respective theoretical fields.

View of Black Hole from the surface of Palmyra

Tectonic drilling

SCEC CRO Dr. Mstislav Belov

---

END OF REPORT

---

Spoiler

---

SCEC Info | SCEC Recruitment | SCEC Comm Channel | SCEC Discord

---

Signatures can't be larger than 700x250px and 1mb. ~Vex