Mars Central

Below is a map I copied off some page on Google.

First one to spot the location of Mars Central wins a free ride in a Boneshaker.

In Bombs Away, Chapter 1: A Brief History Of Crime goes into detail about Man’s colonization of the solar system from the late 21st century onwards. Mars Central is where most of the action takes place in the story, and is called home by the ten thousand or so colonists.

Here are a few relevant Mars Central facts for the fact hungry among you.

Location: Memnonia. Co-ordinates: 1° South, 135° West.

Construction commenced: August 2080. Construction Completed: September 2081.

Dome 2 Commenced Construction: July 2090. Construction Completed: July 2091.

Dome 3 Commenced Construction: April 2110. Construction Completed: August 2112.

Dome 4 Commenced Construction: January 2115. Construction Completed: February 2116.

Agricultural And Livestock Dome Commenced Construction: February 2120. Construction Completed: January 2121.

Population at the 2149 Census: 10,113.

Total Combined Surface Area Of All Five Domes: 10.28 km2

Dome composition: Triple layered synthetic polymer stretched over a stainless steel frame. Later domes were constructed using a combination of both steel and super graphene.

Power Source: Fitzgerald/Kline TNR3000 Fusion Generator. Maximum rated output – 0.57 Terawatts. Nominal output – 0.04 Terawatts.

Emergency Power Source: Hydrogen Fuel Cell And Solar Panel Array Generating 3.7 Gigawatts For Twelve Days.

Each dome houses different aspects of the colony’s infrastructure; schools, theatres, government etc. To find out more check out Bombs Away

Besides water and oxygen, food is pretty important too in any given environment, let alone an extra-terrestrial one. Mars Central was no exception. Forced to bring their initial crops, soil and fertiliser etc. with them from Earth, it didn’t take the colonists long to figure out that growing their own food and producing their own fertilisers (soil would take a little longer), would make them less dependent on Earth, and more importantly create much more profit.

A year or so before the commencement of construction of dome 3, some sound advice was followed. It was agreed that all subsequent habitats should have their own farmland instead of relying totally on dome 1 to provide all the fresh food. It should be made clear that up until this point, some thirty years since the colony was founded, the colonists were still dependant on their few remaining Colonies Board issue cargo packs. These were not so much a Red Cross parcel, but more of a Red Planet parcel, if you get my meaning. You know the stuff, that freeze-dried, thousand-year-lifespan, desiccated horseshit that contains all the minerals and vitamins the body needs. That stuff. Mmm, yum-yum. But it was comforting for the colonists to still have something to remind them of those early days, those terrifying, never-ending search for comfort and warmth days, to get them through the cold Martian nights. Which is pretty much every night actually. Though that is about to change in a century or two thanks to the stalwart, atmosphere changing Melting Pots!

Oops. Sorry. Digressing into another book. This one, actually. No sorry, I meant this one.

Anyway. It wasn’t until quite recently that the colonists thought it prudent to build dome 5 with the sole purpose of growing a majority of the colony’s food and for rearing livestock.

So enough about all that. Hope the info on Man’s largest non-Earth colony makes you want to know more. Yeah? Really? Then read the books!