Thexar-VIII: The-Xar-Ak — Sha-El 11: Khar'Vex Ak-El — Star System
"Seven planets — seven notes of one symphony. Each on its own orbit, each in its own rhythm. Théxar is the melody of life sounding in this stellar orchestra." — From "The Harmony of the Spheres," an astronomical treatise, +3,200 Y.E.
Ruun-ak rass: → rhu [Thexar-I, Ruun 32, "Khar'Vex Khal-sha"], → rhu [Thexar-I, Ruun 02, "The Star System"], → rhu [Thexar-VI, Sha-El 06, "Vex-El Khal-sha"], → rhu [Thexar-II, Sha-El 15, "History of the Space Era"]. Mor-ven: The Khar'Vex system — an orange K2V dwarf, seven planets, two asteroid belts, and an extensive orbital infrastructure — forms the single economic complex that hosts the Xha'Ruun civilization. This chapter systematizes the astronomical parameters of the star, its planets, and the moons of Théxar. It also catalogues the space assets: the "Khar-Tor" orbital elevator, the GNSS constellation, orbital stations, the Orbital Forest, and the interstellar "Sowing-1" probe.
11.1 The Star Khar'Vex
11.1.1 Physical Parameters
| Parameter | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Spectral class | K2V | Orange dwarf |
| Mass | 0.82 M☉ | — |
| Radius | 0.78 R☉ | — |
| Luminosity | 0.41 L☉ | — |
| Age | 6.5 billion Julian years | — |
| Expected MS lifetime | ~22 billion cycles | 2.5× longer than G stars |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | +0.12 | Excess of heavy elements |
| Activity | Low | A calm star |
| Rotation period | 32.4 days | — |
11.1.2 Habitable Zone
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Inner boundary | 0.48 AU |
| Outer boundary | 0.92 AU |
| Optimum | 0.63 AU (orbit of Théxar) |
| Width | 0.44 AU |
11.2 The Planetary System
| Planet | Type | a (AU) | Mass (Earth units unless stated) | Radius (Earth units unless stated) | Surface T (K) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vax | Molten rocky | 0.21 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 680 |
| Xhel | Greenhouse | 0.42 | 0.85 | 0.91 | 480 |
| Théxar | Earth-like | 0.632 | 5.317 × 10²⁴ kg | 6,112 km | 285 |
| Orbital Belt | Asteroid belt | 1.15–1.65 | — | — | — |
| Zhal | Mini-Neptune | 2.8 | 6.2 | 2.1 | 180 |
| Rhuun | Gas giant | 5.9 | 95.4 | 9.7 | 120 |
| Koss | Ice giant | 11.2 | 14.7 | 3.8 | 72 |
| Phor | Dwarf | 18.6 | 0.02 | 0.12 | 42 |
11.3 The Inner Planets
| Parameter | Vax (11.3.1) | Xhel (11.3.2) | Théxar (11.3.3) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Semi-major axis | 0.21 AU (31.4 million km) | 0.42 AU (62.8 million km) | 0.632 AU |
| Eccentricity | 0.12 | 0.05 | 0.018 |
| Mass | 0.4 M⊕ | 0.85 M⊕ | 5.317 × 10²⁴ kg |
| Radius | 0.6 R⊕ | 0.91 R⊕ | 6,112 km |
| Surface temperature | +266.4°X (daytime) | +157.6°X | +12°X (mean) |
| Atmosphere | None | CO₂ (95%), 90 tyazh | N₂ (72%), O₂ (23%), CO₂ (0.8%); 1.03 tyazh |
| Moons | 0 | 1 (Xhel-Mor, 24.4 mo radius) | 2 (Serrin, Thel) |
Vax: tidally locked (one side always faces the star); surface pitted with craters and solidified basalt flows. No economic activity.
Xhel exploitation: research station "Xhel-Ven" (founded +2,200, personnel 120, shift rotation); aerostat base in the upper atmosphere (in a layer at 1.2 tyazh). Prospect: terraforming plan (long-term, >10,000 cycles).
Théxar: the inhabited planet, home of the Xha'Ruun civilization. Population ~2.8 billion (Xha'ri) plus representatives of Kel'vash and Moryn. In detail: → rhu [Thexar-I, Ruun 03, "The Planet Théxar"]; → rhu [Thexar-VIII, Sha-El 01–10, all maps].
11.4 The Asteroid Belt (Orbital Belt)
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Location | 1.15–1.65 AU |
| Mass (estimate) | 0.03 M⊕ |
| Number of bodies >1 km | ~2.4 million |
| Largest asteroids | Khar-1 (diameter 488 mo), Ven-2 (366 mo) |
Resources: Fe-Ni (metals) ~580 billion ru (estimate); Pt, Au (precious metals) ~12 billion ru; ice (water) in icy bodies.
Exploitation: reconnaissance missions since +3,200; trial mining of Fe-Ni since +3,800; full-scale development plan from +4,200.
11.5 The Outer Planets
| Parameter | Zhal (11.5.1) | Rhuun (11.5.2) | Koss (11.5.3) | Phor (11.5.4) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Mini-Neptune | Gas giant | Ice giant | Dwarf planet |
| Semi-major axis | 2.8 AU | 5.9 AU | 11.2 AU | 18.6 AU |
| Mass | 6.2 M⊕ | 95.4 M⊕ | 14.7 M⊕ | 0.02 M⊕ |
| Radius | 2.1 R⊕ | 9.7 R⊕ | 3.8 R⊕ | 0.12 R⊕ |
| Atmosphere | H₂, He, methane | H₂, He, NH₃ | H₂, He, CH₄ (blue color) | — |
| Moons | 4 (largest — Zhal-Ven, 48 mo) | 9 (largest — Rhuun-Ven, 138 mo) | 3 | 0 |
| Rings | None | 3 main (width 2,440 mo) | — | — |
Features: Zhal — a gas dwarf, unsuitable for landing, used for gravitational maneuvers. Rhuun — the Great Red Spot, a large persistent anticyclone; atmospheric study is an important scientific program. Koss — a source of volatiles for long-range missions (plan). Phor — the edge of the system, used as a navigation landmark.
11.6 The Moons of Théxar
| Parameter | Serrin (11.6.1) | Thel (11.6.2) |
|---|---|---|
| Semi-major axis | 57,700 mo | 110,000 mo |
| Eccentricity | — | 0.18 (high) |
| Gravity | 0.14 m/s² | 0.04 m/s² |
| Surface T (day / night) | +91.3°X / −25.6°X | — |
| First landing | +1,200 | +2,100 |
| Permanent base | +2,400 (Ven-Khal crater, far side) | +3,300 |
| Population | ~800 (researchers, telescopes, thel control center) | ~200 (shift personnel) |
Serrin: the largest moon, stabilizer of Théxar's axis. Thel: a captured C-asteroid, the source of He-3 — production ~485,000 kx/year, reserves ~60.6 million kx.
11.7 Space Infrastructure
11.7.1 The "Khar-Tor" Orbital Elevator
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Year of commissioning | +3,000 |
| Location | Equator, eastern coast of Kharak (Vexar-Mor domain) |
| Height | beyond synchronous orbit (to the counterweight) |
| Cargo capacity | 12,000 ru/day |
| Delivery cost | 0.02 solar units/ru (50× cheaper than rockets) |
| Status | Operational |
Second elevator: under construction since +3,950, planned completion ~+4,080.
11.7.2 The GNSS Satellite System
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Number of satellites | 24 |
| Orbit altitude | 3,660–4,470 mo |
| Positioning accuracy | ±2.3 pa (civilian), ±0.58 pa (military) |
| Coverage | 100% of the surface of Théxar |
11.7.3 Orbital Stations
| Type | Number | Altitude | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scientific | 8 | 366–488 mo | Research, production |
| Energy (OSS) | 48 | ≈38,000 km above surface | Collection of solar energy |
| Residential | 12 | 244–366 mo | Crews, tourism |
| Military | 4 | Classified | Defense |
11.7.4 The Orbital Forest
A network of living and semi-living structures at an altitude of 350–1,200 km.
| Component | Number | Feature |
|---|---|---|
| Symbiotic stations | 24 | Self-repairing |
| Xha-Vokh on "pasture" | Variable | Living ships |
| Crystal reflectors | 120 | Communication |
11.8 The Interstellar Program
11.8.1 The "Sowing-1" Probe
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Launch | +3,800 |
| Target | The nearest star (5.2 light-years) |
| Speed | 0.08 c |
| Flight time | ~65 years (to target) |
| Status | Interstellar research programme (+4,028) |
| Cargo | Embryos of Xha-Vokh, archive of knowledge |
11.8.2 Prospects
Interstellar travel is limited by the speed of light (FTL is impossible — → rhu [Thexar-I, Ruun 01, "Fundamental Constants"]). The "Sowing" project is the only realistic expansion program.
Ruun Ven
- Khar'Vex is an orange K2V dwarf of 0.82 M☉, 6.5 billion Julian years old, with a calm activity profile and an expected main-sequence lifetime of ~22 billion cycles.
- Seven planets orbit the star — Vax, Xhel, Théxar, Zhal, Rhuun, Koss, Phor — with Théxar at 0.632 AU, the optimum of a habitable zone spanning 0.48–0.92 AU.
- The Orbital Belt (1.15–1.65 AU) holds ~2.4 million bodies >1 km and is the system's metal reserve; trial Fe-Ni mining began +3,800, full-scale development planned from +4,200.
- Théxar's two moons divide roles: Serrin stabilizes the planetary axis and hosts the scientific base (+2,400, Ven-Khal crater), while Thel supplies He-3 at ~485,000 kx/year.
- Orbital infrastructure is anchored by the "Khar-Tor" elevator (+3,000), 24 GNSS satellites, 72 orbital stations of four types, and the living Orbital Forest.
- Expansion beyond the system is bounded by lightspeed; the "Sowing-1" probe (launched +3,800, 0.08 c) is the sole realistic program, carrying Xha-Vokh embryos and a knowledge archive.