Glossary of Martian cultural and technological terminology
Transport & Infrastructure
Maglev Artery
A continent-spanning high-speed magnetic levitation rail system linking Arcadia Prime and Elysium Nexus. Runs ~1,200 km across the northern plains, carrying 15M+ passengers a year in pressurised cars, with ~1-hour travel time.
Orbital Docks / Transfer Platforms
​Spaceborne facilities where interplanetary craft transfer passengers and freight to/from surface starports. Critical to any future starport project.
Docking Standards Act (2172)
​Outdated Martian regulation restricting automation in starports. Still forces manual guild-supervised loading and outdated passenger processing systems.
Geology & Engineering
Lava Tubes
Naturally formed underground channels from ancient volcanic activity, often hundreds of metres wide. Used in Elysium Nexus for radiation shielding, housing, and proposed starport expansion.
Basalt Plains
Wide, stable volcanic rock expanses found in Arcadia Planitia, offering secure construction foundations.
Solar-Fusion Hybrid Arrays
Advanced energy systems combining concentrated solar with compact fusion cores, proposed to provide 80–90% of Horizon Gate’s energy needs.
Aquifers (Subsurface Ice/Water)
Shallow underground water sources tapped for human use, agriculture, and electrolysis to make hydrogen/oxygen fuels.
Geothermal Power
Energy harnessed from volcanic heat beneath Elysium, providing reliable, renewable electricity and industrial energy.
Dust Storms & Frost Deposition
Common Martian environmental hazards, causing roof collapses, hangar damage, and transport delays. Particularly severe in Arcadia Planitia.
Energy & Sustainability
Solar Concentrators
Arrays of mirrors focusing sunlight into high-efficiency solar power systems, widely used in Arcadia Prime.
ISRU (In-Situ Resource Utilisation)
Engineering practice of using local Martian resources — such as ice, basalt, or COâ‚‚ — for fuels, construction, or life support.
Industrial Renewal Charter (2183)
Council legislation promoting self-sufficiency and local production—key justification for Elysium’s expansion
Cities & Starports
Arcadia Prime
(Sol Gate)
Mars’ “Gateway City,” famous for canals, domes, and cultural prestige. Its starport 'Sol Gate' is Mars's primary hub for passengers and tourism.
Elysium Nexus
(Forge Gate)
The “Forge of Mars,” a primarily subterranean industrial city in lava tubes. Heavy industry dominates its work culture and freight is the principal activity of its starport 'Forge Gate'
Horizon Gate
Proposed new, centralised, neutral starport on Arcadia Planitia. Designed as a unifying planetary hub with scalable capacity and sustainability.
Cultural, Political & Economic
“Gateway City” Identity
Arcadia’s branding as Mars’ cultural and commercial front door for Earth arrivals.
“Forge of Mars” Identity
Elysium’s cultural framing as the industrial, guild-driven heart of Mars.
Guilds
Worker-led industrial associations in Elysium, powerful in politics and infrastructure decisions.
Mars Planetary Council
The supreme governing body of Mars.
Council Grades
Indicate rank and influence, from senior councillors (A1) down to operational leads (C1).
Martian Credits â‚¿
The planetary currency, tied to Earth's bitcoin, the primary reserve currency of the solar system
Fig 1: Maglev artery