Asteroid: Difference between revisions

An '''asteroid''' is a naturally occurring solid object that is smaller than a planet. They are often found in asteroid belts orbiting a star or in planetary ring systems. Asteroids may also occur scattered in orbital [[Lagrange point]]s.<ref>'''[[Halo: The Cole Protocol]]''', ''page 166''</ref>

Some asteroids have been converted by [[human]]ity to serve as [[human colonies|colony habitats]] or [[military base]]s. While many asteroids are too small to maintain sufficient gravitational pull or atmosphere on their outer surfaces despite advanced [[terraforming]] technology, this shortcoming can be surmounted by constructing the habitat into the hollowed-out interior of the asteroid, with [[artificial gravity|simulated gravity]] provided by the centrifugal force of the asteroid's spin. Notable examples of such asteroids were the [[Insurrectionist]] hideouts [[Eridanus Secundus]] and [[the Rubble]], the latter being a remarkable feat of engineering, composed of hundreds of asteroids with independent propulsion systems connected by flexible docking tubes.<ref>'''Halo: The Cole Protocol''', ''page 62''</ref>

The [[Covenant]] used asteroids such as [[K7-49]] as refineries and shipyards.<ref name="GoO">'''[[Halo: Ghosts of Onyx]]''', ''pages 83-84''</ref> The [[Kig-Yar]] home system, the [[Y'Deio system]], is home to an exceedingly large asteroid field which is home to many Kig-Yar colonies.<ref>'''[[Bestiarum]]'''</ref>

Asteroids have also seen weaponized uses in space engagements. In a skirmish following the [[Callisto Incident]] in [[2494]], an asteroid was used by the Insurrectionists to gain a tactical advantage in battle, using a outward-facing [[nuclear weapon|nuclear explosive device]] buried in an asteroid, greatly increasing the destructive power of the weapon in vacuum environment by providing enough reactive mass to destroy one UNSC ship and cripple two.<ref>'''Halo: Evolutions''', "The Impossible Life and the Possible Death of Preston J. Cole", ''page 440''</ref> [[Forerunner]] warships, such as [[Harrier-class vessel]]s, were equipped with "gravity slings", gravitic weapons which allowed them to propel asteroids or other small objects at great velocities and use them as projectiles. A notable advantage of this over the more common [[directed energy weapon]]s was the vessel's ability to remain untraceable. This tactic was used by the Forerunners to their great advantage in the [[Battle of the 78th Thema|battle at Path Terrulian]] during the [[Forerunner-Flood war]].<ref>'''Halo: Silentium''', ''pages 212-214''</ref>

*[[Coral]] asteroid belt<ref>'''[[Halo 3: ODST Pre-mission Evaluation]]''' ''- Dutch Interview''</ref>