View source for Operation ICARUS

'''Operation ICARUS''' was the codename for the attempt to use [[Terra#Terra II .28Venus.29|Venus]]' massive sunshade as a weapon.

==History==
As part of [[Project Aphrodite]] at the turn of the [[twenty-third century]], the largest man-made structure ever built was a sunshade that helped cool Venus and support various other terraforming efforts. It contained maneuvering thrusters that allowed the sunshade to be repositioned as needed to better shield the planet.<ref name=H:LoTv2p63>''Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 2'', p. 63: "Killing Aphrodite: Venus"</ref>

In [[2777]], the [[Star League Defense Force]] began it's [[Operation LIBERATION|liberation of Terra]] in the last years of the [[Amaris Civil War]]. With over 900 ships on the verge of entering the system,<ref name=SLp91>''The Star League'', p. 91: "The Launch"</ref> [[Stefan Amaris]] intended to use the massive structure to focus solar energies against approaching vessels. In theory, it was like using a magnifying glass on an ant. What he didn't realize was that sunshade was also extremely fragile, and during its redeployment, gravitational stresses ripped the structure apart. Amaris blamed his incompetent subordinates.<ref name=H:LoTv2p63/>

The consequence was that, deprived of its shield, Venus began to warm significantly and was desperately reliant on the twenty large automated climate control stations on the surface.<ref name=H:LoTv2p63/> Half of them would be non-functioning by [[3025]] as the planet slowly de-terraformed,<ref name=SLp178>''The Star League'', p. 178: "Venus"</ref> and the last one would be destroyed by a nuclear device in [[3059]],<ref name=IPp16>''Interstellar Players'', p. 16: "Power and Fanaticism"</ref> rendering the planet inhospitable.

==References==
<references />

==Bibliography==
* ''[[Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 2]]''

[[Category:Star League Era Military Operations|ICARUS, Operation]]