Iapetus

Iapetus
Astrographical information
System	Sol
Orbital Body	Saturn
Position	Saturn VIII
Physical information
Diameter	1469.0±5.6 km
Gravity	0.0228 g
Temperature	90–130K
Societal information
Species	Human

Iapetus is the third largest moon of Saturn with a large settlement population on it. There is a station orbiting the moon, and there is a Helium-3 refinery on the surface.

Description

Iapetus is heavily cratered and its overall shape is neither spherical nor ellipsoid, but has a bulging waistline from its unique equatorial ridge and squashed poles. The moon's low density is due to bring mostly composed of ice, with only a small (~20%) amount of rocky materials. Lights glitter on the surface of the moon, marking automated stations where ice is quarried and split.

The orbit of Iapetus is somewhat unusual in that it orbits much farther from Saturn than the next closest major moon, Titan. and also has the most inclined orbital plane of the regular satellites. Because of this Iapetus is the only large moon from which the rings of Saturn are clearly visible.

History

Iapetus was discovered by Giovanni Domenico Cassini, an Italian-born French astronomer, in October 1671.

Events

Free Navy Conflict

• Books
• TV

Following the outbreak of war between the Free Navy and the Consolidated Fleet, Iapetus doesn't side for or against either faction, although they don't openly declare their neutrality either. Taking advantage of the current absence of tariffs, many water haulers arrive to Iapetus Station to mine the moon's surface for ice.

Iapetus was considered a military target for strategic retaliation and show of force by the United Nations Navy after the Bombardment of Earth during the Free Navy Conflict, mainly for its historical high density in radical and extremist Belter groups.

Following the Bombardment of Earth during the Free Navy Conflict, Iapetus had sworn loyalty to the Free Navy. When Camina Drummer revealed that Inaros has stripped Ceres of its supplies and resources and that he had established hidden supply depots with these stolen resources, calling him a coward and a traitor, Iapetus turned on the Free Navy, executing Inaros loyalists, expelling Free Navy personnel and declaring neutrality.

See also

• Iapetus Station
• Big Room caverns

Trivia

• In Greek mythology, Iapetus is a Titan, the son of Uranus and Gaia and father of Atlas, Prometheus, Epimetheus, and Menoetius.