by RustyIronWolf June 4, 2021
Get the Catastrophic Planetary Devastation mug.The study of planets as whole, integrated systems—their formation, composition, atmospheres, magnetic fields, and potential for life. It combines geology, atmospheric science, oceanography, and astronomy to understand worlds both in our solar system and beyond. It answers questions like: Why does Mars have such a thin atmosphere? What drives Jupiter's storms? Could there be an ocean under Enceladus's ice? It's the essential reconnaissance before any technology or engineering can be deployed.
Example: "He's a planetary scientist. His big discovery was that the methane spikes on Mars were seasonal and correlated with subsurface salt deposits, suggesting geological, not biological, origins. He crushed a million sci-fi dreams with a single graph, but earned a lifetime of free drinks from NASA." Planetary Sciences
by Abzugal January 30, 2026
Get the Planetary Sciences mug.The large-scale application of technology and principles to modify or manage the global environment of a planet—terraforming being the most extreme example. It involves modeling complex climatology, atmospheric chemistry, and geology to enact change. Projects might include building orbital mirrors to melt ice caps, introducing engineered microbes to alter atmospheric composition, or redirecting comets to deliver water. It's civil engineering, but where your job site is an entire world and your timeline is millennia.
*Example: "The Venusian working group in planetary engineering isn't building cities yet. They're modeling the long-term effects of dumping gigatons of calcium and magnesium from asteroid mining onto the surface to sequester the runaway CO2 atmosphere. The first phase is called 'The Great Liming.' It'll take 500 years to see if it worked."* Planetary Engineering
by Abzugal January 30, 2026
Get the Planetary Engineering mug.Technologies specifically designed for the surface or immediate environment of a planet (or large moon). This is "planetary gear" tailored to local conditions: pressurized rovers for Mars, insulated diggers for the frozen crust of Europa, balloon-based drones for Venus's upper atmosphere, or automated mining bots for the Moon. The focus is on operating within a specific gravity well, weathering local dust storms or ice, and utilizing in-situ resources. It's the frontier outpost hardware.
Example: "The Martian farm uses bespoke planetary technology: automated greenhouses with LED suns tuned to the red planet's dust-filtered light spectrum, drills that pull water from permafrost, and soil processors that remove toxic perchlorates. The first batch of 'Mars-tatoes' tasted like victory and regret." Planetary Technologies
by Abzugal January 30, 2026
Get the Planetary Technologies mug.The comprehensive, systematic process of mapping, scanning, and analyzing an entire celestial body (planet, moon, asteroid) to understand its geology, resources, atmosphere, and potential for life or habitation. It's the ultimate recon mission, combining orbital spectroscopy, surface rovers, seismic monitors, and atmospheric probes to build a complete scientific and strategic portrait. The goal isn't just a pretty picture; it's a data-rich inventory of every mountain, mineral deposit, water ice patch, and radiation flux.
Example: The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter meticulously imaging the Red Planet's surface to chart ancient river deltas and ice deposits, while rovers like Curiosity drill into rocks for chemical analysis, together constitute a Planetary Survey. Before a crewed mission to the Moon's South Pole, a fleet of autonomous landers would conduct a detailed survey to pinpoint the exact location of water ice in permanently shadowed craters.
by Abzugal Nammugal Enkigal February 3, 2026
Get the Planetary Survey mug.A civilization that has achieved complete mastery over all the energy resources of its home planet. This means harnessing all incoming solar radiation, geothermal heat, tidal forces, and atmospheric processes, effectively controlling the global climate and weather. Energy is abundant, post-scarcity begins, and the civilization becomes a unified, planetary entity, likely with a single government or no government at all.
Kardashev Type 1.0 Planetary Civilizations Example: A Type 1.0 civilization on Earth would have vast orbital solar arrays, geothermal taps into the mantle, weather control to prevent disasters, and cities powered by ambient energy harvesting. Think Star Trek's Earth: no poverty, climate is managed, and all energy needs are met cleanly.
by Abzugal February 3, 2026
Get the Kardashev Type 1.0 Planetary Civilizations mug.