K7-49

K7-49 is an asteroid that housed a Covenant shipyard complex. It is located only seventeen light years from the space border of the UNSC; less than two weeks travel via Slipspace.

It had a system of artificial volcanic activity created by several high-output plasma reactors. These plasma reactors were used to refine metal used in construction of Covenant warships. A network of gravity beams then transported refined alloy to the surface to be welded into Covenant battleships.

K7-49 was discovered by a Telemetry Probe launched by the prowler. Operation: PROMETHEUS was launched against K7-49 on July 27, 2537. The Spartan-III Alpha Company disabled enough of the reactors on K7-49 to allow for sufficient cooling and permanently shut down the operation. Unfortunately all 300 of the Spartans were killed in the process. K7-49 was then abandoned by the Covenant.

Trivia

 * The name K7-49 contains both the number 7 and its square, 49, another 7 reference.
 * The 300 Spartans sent to K7-49 is a reference to the Battle of Thermopylae.