Culldrome Extraterrestrial Colonies

The Culldrome Extraterrestrial Colonies are a group of territorial claims by the Culldrome Isles on various space bodies. Established in 2013, the CEC is an unincorporated collectivity of many scattered territories and colonies on the Moon, Mars and several other locations throughout the solar system.

History
The concept of a space-spanning Culldrome empire dates back to 2005. At the time, the CSRA was heavily focusing on research towards spaceflight. The research agency envisioned a large and powerful extraterrestrial empire. However, due to unexpected problems with the Soaring Star rocket, Culldrome's first orbital capable rocket, the grand plans for the empire were brushed away.

In July 2013, the Great Space Race of 2013 occurred. It involved several large powers, the USA, Shops Island and Snowzerland. The three nations rapidly increased their technological and scientific prowess. This prompted Culldrome to, at a much smaller level, to improve its technology. The CSRA quickly began production of the A-Wing, giving Culldrome easy access to space.

With quick, cheap and easy access to space, the plans of a space colony were brought up again. In August 2013, a small settlement, named Columbia, was created on the Moon and the Culldrome Lunar Territories were founded. Several more settlements were constructed and soon Culldrome began to expand to Mars, asteroids and several other moons in the Solar System. The Culldrome Lunar Territories were renamed in November 2013 to the Culldrome Extraterrestrial Colonies.

Today, the various colonies offer Culldrome a scientific and economic advantage. Although not as powerful as other space territories, like the Shopper Extraterrestrial Colonies, it has a large amount of territory and power.

Moon
The first Culldrome settlement in space. The Mark Pole Territory is located near the lunar south pole. It is home to the de facto capital of the CEC, Columbia, which also acts as the office of the Colonial Governor. Columbia is a major population and scientific research base, with hundreds of scientists living here. They enjoy their life in a large moonbase complex, with a portion of it buried underground. The actual territory only encompasses several craters and is the smallest CEC territory of the Moon.
 * Mark Pole - Capital: Columbia

The Blue Mare territory is located on the large flat surfaces on the moon's equator, resembling an ocean. The territory covers a large area, spanning nearly a hundred kilometers in length. Its capital is Aquaria, a large outpost and the largest 'city' in the entire CEC. Aquaria is home to the Aquaria Tower, a 300-meter tall tower, with laboratories and housing at the bottom and radio and scientific equipment at the top. Aquaria is also the only Culldrom Lunar colony that is home to civilian settlers. These settlers live harmoniously with the scientists in an isolated semi-utopian society. It is also home to space tourists, offering large sums of money to visit the moon.
 * Blue Mare - Capital: Aquaria

The Terratium Territory is located near the lunar north pole and is home to a large mining settlement. Its capital, Minevra, is the main base of the territory, with a hundred miners living here. Lunar rock is mined from the surrounding territory and sent to Minevra to be refined or sent back to Earth. Only a handful of scientists, primarily geologists, live in the territory as it is dominated by the mining industry. The mining operations here have also attracted controversy from environmentalists and other protestors.
 * Terratium - Capital: Minevra

Mars
The Imperia Territory is Culldrome's first settlement on Mars. It is one of two, the only other being the Dawn Ridge Territory. Imperia covers a small area at the foot of a small mountain range. The territory is quite tiny, but extends to a fair distance from its capital, Snowen, named after Culldrome's most famous Supreme Leader, Steven Snowen. About 300 citizens live in Snowen, compromising of both scientists and colonists.
 * Imperia - Capital: Snowen

The Dawn Ridge Territory is, as the name suggests, located on a large Martian ridge of the same name, near the Martian north pole. The Territory covers the ridge, as well as several areas outside of it. Its capital, Brians, is home to a hundred scientists, living in an underground base. Dawn Ridge is known for its picturesque scenery and stunning sunrises over the ridge, hence the name. It is one of two Culldrome colonies on Mars, the other being the Imperia Territory.
 * Dawn Ridge - Capital: Brians

Other
A small territory located on the Asteroid RP-92X. Despite its small size, Astrum's location is important. It is a staging base for spacecraft bound into the farther solar system. Spacecraft often stop by for refueling and stocking up on supplies. The base is also a convenient source of Porcyals and other resources. The Astrum Territory has generated much wealth for Culldrome due to its location and mines.
 * Astrum - Capital: Skytalton

Resources
The Culldrome Extraterrestrial Colonies have a massive monopoly on the mining industry in space. Just like the Culldrome's mining industry back on Earth, the space mining industry is dedicated to Porcyal mining. Porcyals, having their origins from asteroids, are mined on various asteroids, as well as on the Moon. Besides this, other minerals are also mined, such as iron, aluminum and silicon as well as valuable helium-3. These resources are exported back to Earth on large spacecraft, provided by commercial companies.

Space mining is not as prominent and developed as Earth mining, mostly in part to its astronomical cost to run and maintain a mining operation. The topic of space mining has often become a source of debate and controversy in Culldrome, but has continued anyway despite the pleas of environmentalists.

Government
The Culldrome Extraterrestrial Colonies are under the rule of the Colonial Governor, currently Lucas Armstrong. The Governor, although not having a seat in the Government of the Culldrome Isles, still reports directly to the Supreme Leader and the Minister of Science and Technology, the latter of which represents the Governor during most political meetings. The Governor also reports to the head of the Culldrome Scientific Research Agency and to the head of Culldrome Space Division. The two heads have some say in government matters, although the Colonial Governor has the ultimate power for the Extraterrestrial Colonies.

The Culldrome Extraterrestrial Colonies are an unincorporated territory. This means that it does not have representation in the Culldrom government and cannot vote on issues. The Colonial Governor, elected by the Supreme Leader, has full power over the CEC and is not elected. This fact has often caused many to complain about the colony's lack of democracy.

Trivia

 * The extraterrestrial mines account for 10% of Culldrome's total mining output.
 * There are hopes to further expand the Extraterrestrial Colonies to other planets and, in the future, other solar systems.
 * Parts of the CEC were taken over by the Confederacy of Independent Culldrome during the events of the Shadow of Culldrome.