Planetary Mission Tools

For planetary missions, roll for the planet type (4d6), then roll for random planetary missions.
Planet type roll goes as follows:
4d6 Roll
Roll: Classification Encountered
3: Class A
4: Class B
5: Class C
6: Class D
7: Class E
8: Class F
9: Class G
10: Class H
11: Class I
12: Class J
13: Class K
14: Class L
15: Class M
16: Class N
17: Class O
18: Class P
19: Class Q
20: Class R
21: Class S-T
22: Class Y
23: Comet
24: Asteroid


Classification explanations:

Class A Geothermal
Age: 0-2 billion years
Diameter: 1,000-10,000 km
Location: Ecosphere/Cold Zone
Surface: Partially Molten
Atmosphere: Primarily hydrogen compounds
Evolution: Cools to become Class C
Life-forms: None
Example: Gothos

Class B Geomorteus
Age: 0-10 billion years
Diameter: 1,00-10,000 kms
Location: Hot zone
Surface: Partially molten, high surface temperature
Atmosphere: Extremely tenous, few chemically active gases
Lifeforms: None
Example: Mercury

Class C Geoinactive
Age: 2-10 billion years
Diameter: 1,000-10,000 km
Location: Ecosphere/Cold zone
Surface: Low surface temperature
Atmosphere: Frozen
Life Forms: None
Example: Pluto, Psi 2000

Class D Asteroid/Moon
Age: 2-10 billion years
Diameter: 100-1,000 km
Location: Hot Zone/Ecosphere/Cold zone. Found Primarily in orbit of larger planets or in asteroid fields
Surface: Barren and cratered
Atmosphere: None or very tenous
Life forms: None
Example: Moon (Sol IIIa), Lunar V (Bajor VIIe)

Class E Geoplastic
Age: 0-2 billion years
Diameter: 10,000-15,000 km
Location: Ecosphere
Surface: Molten, high surface temperature
Atmosphere: Hydrogen compounds and reactive gases
Evolution: Cools to become Class F
Life forms: Carbon-cycle
Example: Excalbia

Class F Geometallic
Age: 1-3 billion years
Diameter: 10,000-15,000 km
Location: Ecosphere
Surface: Volcanic eruptions due to molten core
Atmosphere: Hydrogen compounds
Evolution: Cools to become Class G
Life forms: Silicon-based
Example: Janus IV

Class G Geocrystalline
Age: 3-4 billion years
Diameter: 10,000-15,000 km
Location: Ecosphere
Surface: Still crytallizing
Atmosphere: Carbon dioxide, some toxic gases
Evolution: Cools to become Class K,L, M, N, O or P
Life forms: Primitive single-celled organism
Example: Delta Vega

Class H Desert
Age: 4-10 billion years
Diameter: 8,000-10,000 km
Location: Hot Zone/Ecosphere/Cold Zone
Surface: Hot and arid, little or no surface water
Atmosphere: May contain heavy gases and metal vapors
Life forms: Drought- and radiation-resistant plants, animal life
Example: Rigel XII, Tau Cygna V

Class I Supergiant
Age: 2-10 billion years
Diameter: 140,000-10 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
Life forms: Unknown
Example: Q'tahL

Class J Gas Giant
Age: 2-10 billion years
Diameter: 50,000-140,000 km
Location: Cold Zone
Surface: Tenuous, comprised of gaseous hydrogen and hydrogen compounds; radiates some heat Atmosphere: Zones vary in temperature, pressure and composition
Life forms: Hydrocarbon-based
Example: Jupiter, Saturn

Class K Adaptable
Age: 4-10 billion years
Diameter: 5,000-10,000 km
Location: Ecosphere
Surface: Barren, little or no surface water
Atmosphere: Thin, mostly carbon dioxide
Life forms: Primitive single-celled organisms; adaptable for humanoid colonization through the use of pressure domes
Example: Mars, Mudd

Class L Marginal
Age: 4-10 billion years
Diameter: 10,000-15,000 km
Location: Ecosphere
Surface: Rocky and barren, little surface water
Atmosphere: Oxygen/argon, high concentration of carbon dioxide
Life forms: Limited to plant life; suitable for humanoid colonization
Example: Indri VIII

Class M
Age: 3-10 billion years
Diameter: 10,000-15,000 km
Location: Ecosphere
Surface: Surface water abundant; if water covers more than 80%, planet is considered Class-O or Class-P
Atmosphere: Nitrogen, oxygen, trace elements
Life forms: Extensive vegetation, animal life, humanoids
Example: Earth, Vulcan, Cardassia Prime

Class N Reducing
Age: 3-10 billion years
Diameter: 10,000-15,000 km
Location: Ecosphere
Surface: High surface temperarure due to greenhouse effect; water exists only as vapor
Atmosphere: Extremely dense, carbon dioxide and sulfides
Life forms: Unknown
Example: Venus

Class O Pelagic
Age: 3-10 billion years
Diameter: 10,000-15,000 km
Location: Ecosphere
Surface: Liquid water covers 80% or more of surface area
Atmosphere: Nitrogen, oxygen, trace elements
Life forms: Aquatic vegetation, animal life, humanoids
Example: Argo

Class P Glaciated
Age: 3-10 billion years
Diameter: 10,000-15,000 km
Location: Ecosphere
Surface: Water Ice covers 80% or more of surface area
Atmosphere: Nitrogen, oxygen, trace elements
Life forms: Hardy vegetation, animal life, humanoids
Example: Exo III

Class Q Variable
Age: 2-10 billion years
Diameter: 4,000-15,000 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
Example: Genesis Planet

Class R Rogue
Age: 2-10 billion years
Diameter: 4,000-15,000 km
Location: Interstellar space, cometary halos
Surface: May be temperate due to geothermal venting
Atmosphere: Primarily volcanic outgassing
Life forms: Non-photosynthetic plants, animal life
Example: Dakala

Class S-T Ultraglacial
Age: 2-10 billion years
Diameter: 10-50 million km (Class S)
50-120 million km (Class T)
Location: Cold Zone
Surface: Tenuous, composed of gaseous hydrogen and hydrogen compounds; radiates considerable heat.
Atmosphere: Zones vary in temperature, pressure and composition; water vapor may be present
Life forms: Unknown

Class Y Demon
Age: 2-10 billion years
Diameter: 10,000-50,000 km
Location: Hot Zone/Ecosphere/Cold Zone
Surface: Temperature can exceed 500 degrees Kelvan
Atmosphere: Turbulent, saturated with toxic chemicals and thermionic radiation
Life forms: Mimetic

Location refers to the location within the solar system relative to the sun.
Hot Zone is closest. Ecosphere is mid-range, most condusive to humanoid life.
Cold Zone is furthest from the sun.

Random Planetary Missions:
These are the day-to-day missions that make up most of a starship crew's life.
Just tell your story (in the form of your choice) in 100 to 2000 words. You'll
be given a bare-bones description of your mission, and you flesh it out.
Doesn't have to be a novel. The mission is chosen by a 3d6 roll.
3) Upon beaming down to the planet surface, your landing party vanishes.
4) Your landing party discovers a mysterious artifact on the planet.
5) A being, seemingly consisting of only energy communicates with the crew.
6) You discover somebody on the planet who can't possiby be there.
7) A member of the crew becomes trapped on the planet.
8) Time seems to be flowing backwards on the planet.
9) The Q entity causes mischief on the surface of the planet and in orbit.
10) You encounter an incredibly advanced civilization (optionally, there might
be a primitive society existing side by side with them).
11) You meet a society that causes you to question whether or not to interfere
with their development.
12) An inhabitant of the planet tries to take over your ship.
13) Members of your crew decide they want to be left behind on the planet.
14) Members of the crew start to act very strangely when you enter orbit.
15) The landing party finds itself back (seemingly) on it's homeworld. (Earth,
Qo'noS, or whatever). But according to sensors on the ship, they're still in Q
Space.
16) The landing party discovers someone who desperately wants to be taken off
the planet.
17) A seemingly abandoned device on the planet threatens to destroy the ship.
18) Create your own adventure...

Moderator's Note: you may have to stretch your imagination a bit. For example,
you wouldn't necessarily expect to find sentient life on a comet. That's part
of the challenge. Technobabble isn't the answer, and in real life mysteries are
not always solved.