Kratox

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Kratox
Astrography
Star Gimheldt system
Type Greenhouse planet, Garden planet
Satellites Kratox B
Gravity 6.4 G
Orbital distance 0.9 AU
Day length 52.2 hours
Year length 355 days
Diameter 18,345 km
Axial tilt 78.2°
Temperature
Average 82°F
Minimum -67°F
Maximum 120°F
Atmosphere
Composition 63% nitrogen, 34% oxygen, 1% carbon dioxide, 1% argon, 1% other gases
Surface pressure 15 atm
Demographics
Population 780 (Kratox B, none on surface)
Imports Helium-3
Exports Dragonrock

Kratox is a super-Earth planet in control by the Karalian Empire. The planet is the fifth in orbit of the Gimheldt system.

Orbit

The planet is at the far edge of the habitable zone of its star, but due to a large build up greenhouse gases, the planet can sustain temperatures which hardly vary. As a result, the atmosphere is incredibly thick and neither the Vaikan nor the Eteno can survive on the surface. Kratox has a single moon, a captured asteroid named Kratox B which is roughly 50 kilometers in diameter.

Kratox was formed sometime after Yoltoria had migrated inward. As a result, water-rich asteroids coalesced to form the massive planet Kratox is.

Climate

Kratox's atmosphere is the result of violent volcanic activity in the past. While some vulcanism persists in the oceans, the vast amount of carbon dioxide has allowed for Kratox's plant-life to grow to enormous proportions. A secondary effect of the planet's thick atmosphere and cloud cover are its storms which provide constant rainfall throughout the whole planet.

Geography

Kratox has a massive core rich with Dragonrock, a rare form of iron that forms only on super-Earth planets. The planet is covered in 90% water, while the rest of the land is covered in thick jungle bogs. Because of Kratox's greenhouse atmosphere, the planet has no ice caps resulting in an incredibly diverse ecosystem throughout both the oceans and the land.

Ecosystem

The oceans appear green due to the extremely high concentrations of phytoplankton on the upper sea layers. These phytoplankton block sunlight for the planet's deep-sea creatures who rely on bioluminescence.

The land is covered in enormous tree analogues which are each a meter in radius. The vegetation on the surface appears short and squat.

Economy

Despite the unbreathable atmosphere, what makes Kratox inviting for mining is the presence of Dragonrock on the ocean floor, a rare substance considered the hardest material in the universe. Mechs are being used to extract this substance which deliver it back to Kratox Station, located in orbit around Kratox B. Kratox also contains a plethora of other minerals as a result of Gimheldt's high metallicity, but resources such as iron, palladium and platinum can be found elsewhere in the Gimheldt system in much easier to reach areas without having to cope with the higher gravity.

Also, Kratox is usually one of two major checkpoints, the other being Yoltoria, which serve as pit stops before crossing the border between UESS and Karalian territory.