Installation 03

Installation 03 is one of the seven Halo installations. Its monitor is 03-049 Abject Testament. It appears to have a red and cracked surface, indicating vast deserts and what appears to be volcanic activity.

Forerunner-Flood war
As with the other seven Halo rings, Installation 03 was fired at the conclusion of the Forerunners' war with the Flood, killing all sentient life within its effective radius. Afterwards, it entered an inactive state along with the rest of the Array.

Re-activation
In 2552, during the Battle of Installation 05, a signal was sent to this Halo from Installation 05, putting it on standby mode. A readout from Installation 05's Control Room showed that Installation 03 was fully prepared to fire on demand.

Deactivation
A more comprehensive readout was later observed on the Ark, showing the inner part of the ring to be covered in what appears to be volcanic material, during the Battle of Installation 00 by the Arbiter, the Master Chief, and the High Prophet of Truth. It once again displayed that Installation 03 was on standby mode, ready to fire. However, the Master Chief deactivated the installation before it could be fired.

Post-war
The Office of Naval Intelligence discovered the Installation's location some time after the war ended, and the top-secret research station Ivanoff was subsequently built in its orbit. In March 2553, Catherine Halsey was indefinitely detained here by Admiral Margaret Parangosky, as retribution for lying to her about the creation and deployment of flash clones during the SPARTAN-II Program's early phases.

Trivia

 * It appears to have a Venusian surface.
 * How the volcanic activity on the installation is achieved is unknown; volcanic activity on planets such as Earth is caused by moving tectonic plates and the static, but the artificial structure of the Halo rings would not allow such movement.
 * It's interesting on how ONI was able to construct a space station around without any intervention by 049 Abject Testament, Installation 03's monitor. It can be assumed the Abject Testament gave a similar warning to either the ship that discovered its location of the ring or the construction crew sent their to build the space station as they approach the ring in the way 343 Guilty Spark did as the UNSC Pillar of Autumn approach Installation 04. Upon realization that they were human, he probably gave them access to approach the ring.

List of appearances

 * Halo 2
 * Halo 3
 * Halo: Glasslands