Ecology & Geography
Shpanga is a cold desert world. Its hydrosphere is only 4% and all of it is locked away in the polar ice caps. The northern cap is CO2 ice, and the southern cap is water ice. The thin, tainted atmosphere means that those on the surface must wear respirator-filter masks and the cold temperatures require arctic wear or, better yet and especially further from the equatorial regions, an environmental suit.
Life on Shpanga is restricted to constructed habitats, thanks to its inhospitable environment. Plans have been made to increase the planet's temperature by means of a soletta and skimming water ice comets, but the process will take decades.
Politics & Culture
Shpanga is an oligarchical society. The Constitutional Pacifism Party of Shpanga has secured control over the world. While the law is fairly relaxed, dissent is very difficult to spread and is punished. The Constitutional Pacifism Party of Shpanga is the only legal party on Shpanga. Historically, the CPP's control over the habitats has been used to quell unrest. The one-party state, undemocratic forms, and persecuting dissent have earned the CPP censure in the Supreme Luchayan Cosmic Council
A small faction opposes the Constitutional Pacifism Party of Shpanga -- the Organized Libertarian Union. They are a pacific anarchist group which mainly focuses on illegal propaganda efforts. The OLU's vision for society is of a participatory nature. Their underground offices are regularly raided by the police, though the OLU puts up no form of resistance. Their number swells in Shpanga's political prisons.
Despite this conflict regarding dissent and its oligarchic politico-economic structure, pacifism is very important to Shpangans. Since an old war was fought on Shpanga which resulted in catastrophic civilian casualties, largely due to a terror tactic of “dome-cracking” (suddenly unsealing habitats and exposing the people inside to surface conditions), Shpangans have adopted both an adherence to non-violence and obedience to authority.
Dress: cold weather clothing. inside mostly overalls and jumpsuits. party commissars sometimes wear tailored suits.
Primary Starport
The Shpangan Starport is based in Tukol -- Shpanga's capital city.
Bases
Naval Base: Karadjian Station; commanded by Boghos Martirosyan (M [redacted UPP and age]).
Gas Giants: There are two gas giants.
There is also a Research Base and a Hostel Complex for the Explorer's Society.
Names: Armenian