BABYLON 5 - STATION INFORMATION

Babylon 5 is a 8,592 meter (five-mile) long, 3200 ft. diameter, 9.1 Billion-ton O'Neill class space station located at a pivotal main jump gate, located at the L-5 point in a binary star system between a star and a planet named Tigris & Euphatres, in an 33,000 km. orbit around a planet called Epsilon Eridani III, coordinates: "Grid Epsilon" at 470/18/22. The station's life support system is capable of supporting over 250,000 entities in variable gravities, mostly as transit passengers.

Normal planetary gravity aboard Babylon 5 is simulated in a similar manor to Babylon 4, by rotating the station. Outward acceleration at the perimeter is approximately 9.8 m/s^2 [1g]. Unlike Babylon 4 however, Babylon 5 does not have the counter rotating sections, effectively trapping the station in orbit around Epsilon Eridani III. Babylon 5 does have a series of thruster engines however, used in maintaining it's location at the L5 point.

When the station first went on-line, Babylon 5 was defended only by a low level defense grid, leaving the station extremely vulnerable to attack. It was not until the station's upgrade in 2259, when the Station's systems were given a complete over-hall, that Babylon 5 had sufficient fire power to defend its self from attack. The new, and significantly more powerful defense grid gave Babylon 5 enough fire power to take on a battle cruiser without the need of an escort fleet and re-affirmed Earth Alliance’s commitment to the Babylon project.

Babylon 5 is also equipped with a full complement of 32 SA-23E Arrora class Starfuries. After Babylon 5 seceded from the Earth Alliance in 2260, it received 24 new SA-26 Thunderbolt class Starfuries. Most of these Starfuries came from the EAS Churchill which was destroyed during the “Battle of Euphrates” by forces loyal to former President William, Morgan Clark.

The "front" of the Babylon 5 station contains the station’s control and command deck, observation dome, and docking bays. The station’s docking system consists of two docking bays, the first allowing small craft to enter along the station’s 0g center line of the rotating section, to be transferred to the appropriate internal landing bay. The second and larger docking bay is located in the station’s upper non-rating section, which is dedicated to craft remaining in free fall. The forward section of the station, designated BLUE sector, also contains the “Cobra” launch bays for Babylon 5’s fighter wings.

To control and maintain the vast network of power, air recycling, water reclamation, communication and data storage, Earth Alliance turned to the Centauri in the construction of Babylon 5’s computer system. Based on a crystalline Earth/Centauri hybrid technology, it was decided that Babylon 5 would have a completely revolutionary AI, providing the station with an artificial personality. Unfortunately this plan did not work very well, as a technical error lead to the rather unstable personality of a New-York taxi cab driver taking over the Babylon 5 system. Quickly realizing the monumental problem this would create, the artificial personality was locked out and a more conventional computer/user interface was integrated into the system.

The computer system presently in use on Babylon 5, is based primarily on human design using Centauri crystalline technology and is capable of both keyboard and voice input, the latter in over one hundred different alien languages. Integrated within this computer system is the “Babcom” communications network, which is used to handles all the station’s communication needs. This includes intra-station, ship-to-station, and long-range tachyon communications.

Given the size of the Babylon 5 station, engineers deemed it necessary to create an extensive mass-transit public transportation system which allows personnel and visitors to easily travel across the whole of the five mile long station. This system includes several train systems that run across the outer walls of the station, as well as a mono-rail shuttle service that runs along the station’s 0g center line. The “Core Shuttle” as it is referred to in-station, runs every five minutes accessing 13 sub-stations along the length of the Babylon 5’s habitat section.

To make it easy to negotiate the vast size of the station, Babylon 5 has been broken into six sub-sections. These include the following:

YELLOW SECTOR- Engineering, docking bays and cargo bays.
BLUE SECTOR- Customs, operations and Earthforce personnel quarters.
BROWN SECTOR- Commerce and transient habitation.
GREEN SECTOR- Diplomatic habitation and facilities.
RED SECTOR- Commercial habitation.
GRAY SECTOR- Construction and manufacturing.
Using a “coordinate” based system, finding one’s way around Babylon 5 is relatively easy. One must simple know the sector’s color designation, which is a spiral ring of the station, followed by the sector letter, and then whatever number that denotes a level.

Another interesting problem presented in the construction of Babylon 5, was the station’s need for a very powerful power plant, in order to run all station systems as well as operate the large motors used to rotate the station’s habitat wing. Thus a new type of fusion reactor system was designed.

Main power for Babylon 5 is handled by a series of mass quinterium fusion reactors in the rear non-rotating section of the station. Babylon 5 has a total of eight Tokamak Corp. 790 quinterium fusion reactors, with a combined power output of approximately 73 exawatts (73 X 10 18th power). This powerful reactor system handles all the station’s power needs. In addition to the main fusion reactors, there are two hundred smaller fusion reactors strategically placed through out the station, designed to ensure key systems remain operational should it ever become necessary to eject the station’s main energizer.

A marvelous achievement for all parties involved, Babylon 5 will continue to faithfully serve the ideals and goals that lead to her creation, the dream of one point in space where the entire universe can come together, in peace and mutual respect.
[It should be noted that, although Babylon 5 is on-line, construction of the Babylon 5 station was never completed. There are some areas where construction is still required.]

TECHNICAL & EXTRA INFORMATION ABOUT BABYLON 5

BABYLON 5 STATION
TYPE: Babylon - O'Neal Class Station
LOCATION: Orbiting Epsilon 3
Grid Epsilon 470/18/22
POPULATION: 250,000 58/42% Human/Alien
STATION CREW: Earth Force & Admin: 6,500
Guild Dockworkers: 1,500
LENGTH: 5 miles
DIAMETER: 840m (Rotating Section)
MASS: 2.5 million tons (metal casing)
GRAVITY: Zero-G to 1 G
ATMOSPHERE: 92% Oxygen/Nitrogen
5.2% Methane
2.8% Other non-standard
DEFENCE GRID: Pulse Cannons
Plasma Guns
Interceptors
Mine Launchers
2ZX Tracking
SUPPORT: 32 Starfuries
24 Thunderbolt

STATION MAP
Detailed Schematic

DESCRIPTION
The non-rotating "fork" portion of the station "over" the rotating landing bays sits astride a 0 G cargo handling bay. The "fork" extends into a flat non-rotating section that runs the length of the station to the heat radiator vanes. Behind them extends the fusion reactor section that extends over a third of the length of the station. Mounted above and between the fork is the Tachyon transmitter/receiver and the docking beacon.
Below the zero-g docking bay, in the rotating section, is the docking bay proper. All ships enter the station dead centre. An incoming ship surrenders its shipboard computer to the Babylon 5 Command and Control, located directly beneath the bay entrance. A ship is then taken and lowered into one of many bays located toward the hull. The docking areas are divided into sections, with the diplomatic and military bays having restricted access.
Starfuries are housed in separate launch bays in cobra shaped projections along the round front of the station, hence their common name "Cobra Bays."
Set in the front of the station, beneath the entrance to the dock areas, is a window which looks into C & C. This can be protected by a set of blast doors, as can the docking entrance.

BABYLON 5 SECTORS
The station is divided into colour coded sections, most of which rotate to create artificial gravity.

BLUE SECTOR:
Blue Sector is the focus of operations, it includes the Observation Dome, Docking bays, Medlab and Customs.

OBSERVATION DOME:
An alternate name for the Command and Control (C&C) section on Babylon 5, named for the large circular window looking out onto the approach vector for the station's docking bays, or Dockside. It is located about a third of the way along the station radius (giving a gravity of about 0.3g) where the routing of ships is handled.
The area includes numerous terminals for environment, jump gate/navigational assistance, security and so on, all of which go on standby for routine maintenance every 36-48 hours or so for cleaning, backups and so on. The rotating lights on the floor, and around the window, are for two purposes; to designate the center of power and authority, and to act as sensors. The lights are kept fairly dim, to better see all the instruments, and be able to look out into space through the window without being washed out by the glare. When someone comes in, and the person in charge turns to talk to them, a light descends on them automatically to illuminate them for the purpose of conversation, the lights automatically return to normal when they turn back to the panel. Civilians are prohibited from entering the Observation Dome without the express permission of the station's commander.

MEDLAB:
Medlab is geared for the treatment of most species and includes an IsoLab for both quarantining and maintaining difference habitats for patients. The Isolab, an adjunct to MedLab is capable of supporting an isolated environment via an airlock, enabling both support for different living conditions and the containment of potentially hazardous biological infections.

RED SECTOR:
Red Sector is the focus for all commercial activity aboard the station and contains casinos, bars, hotel suites, brothels and the Zocalo. Red Sector wraps around the garden.

YELLOW SECTOR:
Yellow Sector is a non rotating section which houses zero-gravity cargo bays, Fusion Engines etc.

GREEN SECTOR:
Green Sector contains the Ambassadorial wing and can only be accessed by station personnel. The Green Sector Wraps around The Garden.

THE GARDEN:
The Garden A large botanical area that runs the center,lengthwise, of the station. It is an O'Neill environment, which enables an observer to lookstraight up to the other side of the rotating section. Lining the circular wall are some farmlands, orchards,an open air hedge maze, fields, trees, artificial lakes, Hydroponics gardens and other areas for oxygen reclamation. There are other areas where alien food is grown, as well as an area where food that is impractical to grow is synthesized. Other foods are imported. Weather can occur in the Garden area.

GRAY SECTOR:
Gray Sector Covers the industrial area, and plays host to the stations various alien guests. Gray Sector wraps around the garden.

DOWN BELOW:
Downbelow refers to the undeveloped areas beneath the main levels of Babylon 5. Downbelow is inhabited by Babylon 5's equivalent of the homeless, called Lurkers. Most of them are people who came to the station looking for work; they didn't find any, and can't afford passage offstation. No government is willing to pay to ship them home (and in some cases, they wouldn't even be allowed home) so they languish on the station. The Downbelow is a center of criminal activity on B5, though by no means is crime confined to that area.

COBRA BAY:
The Cobra Bay is a section of one of the four cobra arms on Babylon 5 from which Starfury fighters are launched using the centrifugal force generated by the station's rotation. Starfurys returning for operations enter the station by the main docking bay and are then transported back into the cobra bays.

MISC:
There are various embassies and diplomatic missions from various worlds. Because space on B5 is so tight, complete offices for every single ambassador would kill most of the available space; so they have access to the station's facilities for business rooms, meeting rooms, conference rooms and the like.

BABYLON 5 INFORMATION

LOCATION:
Grid "Epsilon" 470x18x22. The Station orbits a barren, seemingly lifeless planet "Epsilon 3" (aka Euphrates*) in the L5 postition between the planet and a small, gray moon. The planet orbits "near" Epsilon Eridani (Epsilon or Tigris*) in neutral space, more or less central to all five of the major governments.

Hyperspace distance from major homeworlds:
•Earth - 36 standard hours hyperspace
•Narn - 44 standard hours hyperspace (12.2 standard light years)
•Centauri Prime - 48 standard hours hyperspace (75 Centauri light years)
•Minbar - unknown
•Vorlon Homeworld - 96 standard hours hyperspace

GRAVITY:
Normal planetary gravity is simulated by rotating the station. Outward acceleration at the perimeter is approximately 9.8 m/s2 [1g]. The station does not have engines per se, although there are small thrusters used in maintaining it's location at the L5 point.

BABYLON 5 TIME:
The station operates on Earth Standard/Earth Mean Time, as well as running on human cycles of day and night, with the lighting in the hallways and Garden bright during the day times, and dark during night.

LEGAL STATUS:
The Station acts as a free port, a place of commerce, trade, diplomacy, where different parties can meet to work out their problems so the legal situation can be tricky. Technically, outside of the station is in neutral territory, while only within the station are EA laws and regulations enforceable. These regulations are VERY strict. Anyone coming onto the station must be scanned for weapons, since no weapons are allowed on the station. In most everyday situations B5 operates fairly autonomously; Earth doesn't generally get involved unless there's a good reason. The commander of B5 is empowered to speak on behalf of his government the say that a ship's captain exploring new worlds is similarly empowered. He is on equal footing with the Alien ambassadors. He is forbidden from using the Station's personnel or firepower to, for instance, threaten someone into signing a particular treaty, since that would be considered duress, and therefore void.

FINANCIAL CONDITIONS:
The Station is owned and operated by the Earth Alliance, and although the EA funded the first few attempts exclusively; after they'd dumped all their money into B4, they needed outside funding to get B5 going. The Minbari were first to contribute money as a show of good faith. Then the Centauri added additional funding. Those are the only two other races that've contributed significantly. Because of this financial "burden", anyone who stays on the station pays a fee. Station employees are charged a similar fee against their salaries. Even the command staff may be required to pay for their "room and board". As soon as a ship enters through the Jump Gate, its "signature" is registered and the fee for using Gate is debited to the account or taxes of the ship's owner. If they don't have an account, they will be asked for payment before being allowed to "land."

PERSONNEL:
Most of the humans on the station are civilian contractees, handling things such as dockwork, food preparation, and so forth, under contracts with the government. Operations, such as the techs in the Observation Dome, the Medical Staff, and Security are Earthforce. There are 1500 Guild Dockworkers, and 6500 Earthforce Personnel.

LIVING AREAS:
There are living areas designed to accomodate different environments, atmospheres, etc. Some of the alien sections are uninhabitable to humans without protective breathing gear or other measures. Similarly, heavy CO2 breathers or methane breathers have to wear some sort of respirators or "encounter suits" to travel among the humans on the station. The station's life support systems are capable of handling 250,000 entities, mostly in the form of transient population. Only the executive suites have sufficient water for traditional bathing facilities. The rest of the personnel make due with sonics showers.

TRANSPORT:
The primary means of transportation within the station are the transport tubes, similar to elevators moving from level to level; and the core shuttle, which travels along the axis in 0 G.

COMMUNICATIONS:
The station's main computer is based on a crystalline human-alien hybrid technology, and is capable of both keyboard and voice input, the latter in several languages and integrated with which is the BabCom (Babylon 5 Communications) network, which handles intrastation and ship-to-station traffic while long-range communications are routed via StellarCom tachyon messages. All the computer systems on the station are controlled via this centralised system. This system is subject to commands from terminals, and also the external comm feed, so EA command could order the shutdown of life support for instance, although the access codes have now been changed. When the system was originally put on-line an artificial intelligence (or personality) was installed as part of the interface, but was later removed due to compatibility problems with the human staff. However, the personality (called Sparky) still surfaces from time to time. Station crew and diplomatic staff are issued portable comlinks for voice-only communications.

DEFENCE GRID:
The station is defended by a low level defence grid, as well as several small weapon emplacements located beneath panels on the outer hull, and a complement of more than 48 Starfuries (both original and Thunder Bolt versions).