Robotech Space Factory

(Version 1.00 - Last Modified: 08/29/2006)
Background information inspired by Zentraedi Factory Satellite by Pieter Thomassen, with Peter Walker, on the Unofficial Robotech Reference Guide.
Robotech Space Factory

All Robotech Factory Satellites began their lives as an asteroid consisting mainly of iron, silicium, and some rare minerals such as titanium, molybdenum, and vanadium. In 1760, the first Factory Satellite was finished and began replacing the normal shipyards that the Robotech Elders used to maintain their fleets. Soon after, the Robotech Elders decided to concentrate nearly all production of Zentraedi warships in the Factory Satellites, although, the Border Fleet vessels would continue to be produced in Tirolian facilities throughout the empire and the massive shipyard facilities in orbit of Kaberra, Haydon IV, and Tirol would be maintained.

In 2013 CE, the RDF and their Zentraedi allies detected signals from a Factory Satellite. The station's commander was trying to locate Dolza and after failing to locate him directly, was sending a general signal to any Zentraedi ships. An RDF and Zentraedi joint task force was organized to force the station and its defense fleet to surrender. The mission was successful and the surprise attack by the combined forces of the RDF and Commander Breetai captured the Factory Satellite and destroyed most of the defense fleet, suffering few casulties in the process.

Unfortunately, like all Zentraedi ships and facilities at the time, the Factory Satellite was suffering from Protoculture depletion and it would take weeks to drain the Protoculture from the remaining defense fleet and to repair the station's Fold Drives. Even in orbit of Earth, the station was a shadow of its former self. By draining a large portion of Breetai's remaining ships, the station's factories and shipyards were brought back online, but at only a fraction of their original production capacity, and even then, most remained dormant. Even in its decrepit state, the factory satellite, rechristened Space Station Liberty, would prove a valuable resource for the burgoening REF, building nearly all of its ships and the SDF-3 Pioneer Super Dimensional Fortress.

When the REF Pioneer Expedition departed in 2022 CE, control of Space Station Liberty was given to the Southern Cross, which used it to construct what they thought was a powerful defense fleet. As the years passed, the raw materials needed by the station began to exhaust the debris field left in orbit of Earth by the destruction of the Zentraedi armada and the station was moved to the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. It was here that the station was brutally attacked by the Robotech Masters in 2029 CE. Wanting the station to rebuild their empire, but not wanting to waste the resources capturing it at the time, the Robotech Masters continued towards Earth after their initial attack against the Space Factory, but they continued to harass the damaged station throughout the Second Robotech War to ensure that it was not a danger to them.

With the Second Robotech War over and the Sentinels' War heating up for the REF, Space Station Liberty was ordered to fold to Tirol in late 2032 CE. It was a timely decision as the Invid invaded less than two years later. Unfortunately, a lack of supplies from Earth and the constant attacks during the war had left the station a hollow shell of its former state. The station spent much of the Sentinels' War slowing rebuilding and being refit with the latest technologies gained from the Sentinels and the Tirolians. By the end of the 2030's CE and the end of the Sentinels' War and the REF Civil War, the station had been brought to almost full capacity, and was instrumental in building the REF's attack fleets to liberate Earth.

Space Station Liberty served as the one of the three main manufacturing centers for the REF, the other two being Tirolian Orbital Shipyards and the Kaberran Orbital Shipyards. In 2042, the REF encountered a Factory Satellite that had long been abandoned by its Zentraedi and Tirolians crew, except for a few Bioroids. Unfortunately, before the station could be captured, it was able to fold away from the small REF fleet. It was not until 2052 that the REF discovered signals being sent by another Space Factory, this time not abandoned. The REF organized a large fleet and sent them to capture the station. The fleet was able to persuade crew of the station to join the REF. The new Space Factory, called G-02 by the REF, was placed in orbit of Tirol and was repaired and upgraded and made identical to Space Station Liberty, also known as G-01. In 2055, control of the two factories, and all future Space Factories was transferred to the RDF. A deep space exploration ship located a third Space Factory, designated G-03, in 2055. Abandoned and completely out of power, the station was determined to be the one encountered in 2042. The G-03 was placed in orbit of Kaberra, but was attacked and destroyed by a rogue Zentraedi fleet led by Kyron II. After the destruction of the G-03, the RDF decided to begin a bold project, to construct a Super Space Factory similar to the Super Factory Satellite that was found in the Tirolian database. The project would begin in 2056 but would not be complete until 2065.

The Robotech Space Factories consist of a Main Body, holding the largest of the shipyards, as well as the main systems, the Protoculture Reactor, and the Fold Drive. Attached to the Main Body are four Factory Pods that hold the main mecha production plants and several shipyards each. A large, reinforced access stalk connects the Main Body to each of these Factory Pods. The Main Body has one entrance large enough to allow even a Tirolian Mother Ship (an Azashar Class General Purpose Vessel) access to the inside of the station. The main docking bay housed incoming vessels prior to assignment to a repair dock and newly constructed vessels in the final stages of their construction. All of the construction and repair bays located in the Main Body could be reached from this bay. There are similar docking bays located in the Factory Pods, but they are much smaller than the bay in the Main Body. There were few defensive installations installed on the station, especially given its size, but it was assumed that the Space Factory would always use its fold drive if attacked. As a consequence, the station mounted mainly anti-mecha and anti-missile defense systems.

Names and Disposition:

Ship Information:

Vehicle Complement: (2022 CE Complement)

Vehicle Complement: (2038 CE Complement)

M.D.C. by location:

Speed:

Statistical Data:

Weapon Systems:

  1. LC-12 Main Laser Cannons (10)
  2. PB-45 Particle Beam Cannon Turrets (40)
  3. PB-4 Particle Beam Cannons (160)
  4. LT-5 Point Defense Laser Turrets (400)
  5. SLS-25 Vertical Missile Launchers (500)
  6. SRS-2 Heavy Missile Launchers (100)

Shield Systems:

  1. DS-1 Pinpoint Barrier System (18)
  2. DS-2 Omni-Directional Barrier System

Special Systems:

  1. Electronic Warfare System
  2. SF-X Shadow Cloaking Device (after 2037 CE refit only)
  3. Protoculture Reactor Recharger
  4. Spaceship Production Facilities
  5. Spaceship Repair Facilities
  6. Cyclone Production Facilities (after 2032 CE refit only)
  7. Mecha Production Facilities
  8. Auxiliary Production Facilities
  9. Weapon Production Facilities
  10. Missile Production Facilities
  11. Missile Storage

Standard Systems:

  1. Life Support System
  2. Communication Systems
  3. Sensor Systems
  4. Targeting Computer System

Combat Summary: