Planetary Classification - STF Reference Manual / Miscellaneous

Overview

Zones

The Zones, Hot, Ecosphere and Cold, are the areas in which planets are found.

The Hot zone would be closest to the sun and temperatures on planets therefore be Hot and unsuitable for life except in microscopic form. (Read unbearable for humans.)

The Ecosphere would be the area around the sun in which planets could sustain life, the temperatures there would be moderate on a planet. (Read suitable for humans.)

The Cold zone would be the area after the ecosphere and furthest away from the Sun, temperatures there would be incapable of supporting life except in microscopic forms.

The cometary Halo is where the outer edges of comet orbits or in interstellar space between stars not bound by any orbit.

Note
Planets in the X, Y, and Z Class are reserved for planets with environments hostile to human(oid) life. No planets or planetoids have yet been classified with the letters U, V, or W. This list is based off of the information provided in the Star Trek: Star Charts book written by Geoffrey Mandel.

Planetary Evolution

A cools to C
E cools to F cools to G cools to K, L, M, or N

A ----> C

                        K        ___
                        L       | O
E ----> F ----> G ----> M ------|
                        N       | P
                                 ‾‾‾

M sub-types

P is when a class M is more than 80% covered by ice.
O is when a class M is more than 80% covered by water.

Planetary Classes

Class A - Geothermal

Examples: None
Age: 0 to 2 billion years
Diameter: 1,000 to 10,000 km
Location: Ecosphere/Cold Zone
Surface: Partially Molten
Atmosphere: Primarily hydrogen compounds
Evolution: Cools to become Class C
Life Forms: No Known Life forms

Class B - Geomorteus

Examples: Mercury
Age: 0 to 10 billion years
Diameter: 1,000 to 10,000 km
Location: Hot Zone
Surface: Partially molten, high surface temperature
Atmosphere: Extremely tenuous, few chemically active gases
Evolution: None
Life Forms: No known life forms

Class C - Ceoinactive

Examples: Pluto
Age: 2 - 10 billion years
Diameter: 1,000 to 10,000 km
Location: Ecosphere/Cold Zone
Surface: Low surface temperature
Atmosphere: Frozen
Evolution: No further evolution
Life Forms: No know life forms

Class D - Asteroid/Moon

Examples: Luna (Sol IIIa)
Age: 2 to 10 billion years
Diameter: 100 to 1,000 km
Location: Hot Zone/Ecosphere/Cold Zone/ orbiting other planets usually
Surface: Barren and cratered
Atmosphere: None or very tenuous
Evolution: None
Life Forms: No know life forms

Class E - Geoplastic

Examples: None
Age: 0 to 2 billion years
Diameter: 10,000 to 15,000 km
Location: Ecosphere
Surface: Molten, high surface temperature
Atmosphere: Hydrogen compounds and reactive gases
Evolution: Cool to Class F
Life Forms: Carbon cycle

Class F Geometallic

Examples: None
Age: 1 to 3 billion years
Diameter: 10,000 to 15,000 km
Location: Ecosphere
Surface: Volcanic eruptions due to molten core
Atmosphere: Hydrogen compounds
Evolution: Cool to class G
Life Forms: Silicon based

Class G - GeoCrystalline

Examples: None
Age: 3 to 4 billion years
Diameter: 10,000 to 15,000 km
Location: Ecosphere
Surface: Still crystallizing
Atmosphere: Carbon dioxide, some toxic gasses
Evolution: Cools to Class K, L, M, or N
Life Forms: Primitive single-celled organisms

Class H - Desert

Examples: None
Age: 4-10 billion years
Diameter: 8,000 to 15,000 km
Location: Hot Zone/Ecosphere/Cold Zone
Surface: Hot and arid, little or no surface water
Atmosphere: May contain heavy gasses and metal vapors
Evolution: None
Life Forms: Drought and radiation resistant plants and animals

Class I - Gas Supergiant

Examples: None
Age: 2 to 10 billion years
Diameter: 140,000 to 10 million km
Location: Cold Zone
Surface: Tenuous, comprised of gaseous hydrogen and hydrogen compounds; radiates heat
Atmosphere: Zones vary in temperature, pressure, and composition; water vapor may be present
Evolution: None
Life Forms: No Know Life forms

Class J - Gas Giant

Examples: Saturn, Jupiter, Neptune, Uranus
Age: 2 to 10 billion years
Diameter: 50,000 to 140,000 km
Location: Cold Zone
Surface: Tenuous, comprised of gaseous hydrogen and hydrogen compounds; radiates some heat
Atmosphere: Zones vary in temperature, pressure, and composition
Evolution: None
Life Forms: Hydrocarbon based

Class K - Adaptable

Examples: Mars
Age: 4 to 10 billion years
Diameter: 5,000 to 10,000 km
Location: Ecosphere
Surface: Barren, little or no surface water
Atmosphere: Thin mostly Carbon dioxide
Evolution: No Further Evolution; Life Forms; Primitive single celled organisms; adaptable for humanoid colonization through use of pressure domes

Class L - Marginal

Examples: Borg Prime, Vaadwaur
Age: 4 to 10 billion years
Diameter: 10,000 to 15,000 km
Location: Ecosphere
Surface: Rocky and barren, little surface water
Atmosphere: Oxygen/argon, high concentration of carbon dioxide
Evolution: None
Life Forms: Limited to plant life; suitable for humanoid colonization

Class M - Terrestrial (Minshara)

Examples

Earth, Vulcan, Cardassia Prime, Romulus, Qo
‘noS
Age: 3 to 10 billion years

Diameter

10,000 to 15,000 km

Location

Ecosphere

Surface

Surface water abundant

Atmosphere

Nitrogen, Oxygen, trace elements

Evolution

No further evolution, 2 sub-types

Life Forms

Extensive vegetation, animal life, humanoids

Class N - Reducing

Examples: Venus
Age: 3 to 10 billion years
Diameter: 10,000 to 15,000 km
Location: Ecosphere
Surface: High surface temperature due to greenhouse effect; water exists only as vapor
Atmosphere: Extremely dense, carbon dioxide and sulfides
Evolution: No further Evolution
Life Forms: No Known life forms

Class O - Pelagic (M subtype)

Examples: None
Age: 3 to 10 billion years
Diameter: 10,000 to 15,000 km
Location: Ecosphere
Surface: Liquid water covers 80% or more of surface area
Atmosphere: Nitrogen, oxygen, trace elements
Evolution: No further evolution
Life Forms: Aquatic vegetation, animal life, humanoids

Class P - Glaciated (M subtype)

Examples: None
Age: 3 to 10 billion years
Diameter: 10,000 to 15,000 km
Location: Ecosphere
Surface: Frozen water(ice) covers 80% or more of surface area
Atmosphere: Nitrogen, oxygen, trace elements
Evolution: No further evolution
Life Forms: Hardy vegetation, animal life, humanoids

Class Q - Variable

Examples: Genesis Planet
Age: 2 to 10 billion years
Diameter: 4,000 to 15,000 km
Location: Hot Zone/Ecosphere/Cold Zone
Surface: Ranges from molten to water and/or carbon dioxide ice, due to eccentric orbit or variable output of star
Atmosphere: Ranges from tenuous to very dense
Evolution: None
Life Forms: No Known Life forms

Class R - Rouge

Examples: None
Age: 2 to 10 billion years
Diameter: 4,000 to 15,000 km
Location: Interstellar space, cometary halos
Surface: May be temperate due to geothermal venting
Atmosphere: Primarily volcanic out gassing
Evolution: None
Life Forms: Non-photosynthetic plants, animal life

Class S - Ultra-giant

Examples: None
Age: 2 to 10 billion years
Diameter: 10 to 50 million km
Location: Cold Zone
Surface: Tenuous, composed of gaseous hydrogen and hydrogen compounds; radiates generous amounts of heat
Atmosphere: Zones vary in temperature, pressure, and composition; water vapor may be present
Evolution: None
Life Forms: No Known Life forms

Class T - Mega-giant

Examples: None
Age: 2 to 10 billion years
Diameter: 50 to 120 million km
Location: Cold Zone
Surface: Tenuous, composed of gaseous hydrogen and hydrogen compounds; radiates generous amounts of heat
Atmosphere: Zones vary in temperature, pressure, and composition; water vapor may be present
Evolution: None
Life Forms: No Known Life forms

Class Y - Demon

Examples: None
Age: 2 to 10 billion years
Diameter: 10,000 to 50,000 km
Location: Hot Zone/Ecosphere/Cold Zone
Surface: Temperature can exceed 500 Kelvin
Atmosphere: Turbulent, saturated with toxic chemicals and thermionic radiation. Comunications can not be maintained. Should land on this planet in only extreme emergencies.
Evolution: None
Life Forms: Mimetic (only know to be in Delta Quadrant)