Vulkanus is a resource satellite which was converted into a factory by the United Earth Sphere Alliance. It was used by several factions after the Eve Wars.
History[]
At an unknown point the asteroid that would become known as Vulkanus was towed towards Earth to be mined for resources. In AC 195 the resource satellite was converted into an auto-factory for the production of mobile suits at the direction of Chief Engineer Tubarov Bilmon, and began the production of Virgo-series mobile dolls for OZ. The existence of the Vulkanus plant must have been confidential, as anyone outside of the Romefeller Foundation seemed unsure whether it was anything more than a rumor. When the Eve Wars ended the factory was supposed to be located and destroyed by Lady Une, however the factory was said to have an unstable orbit and it became lost, adrift in space, and was believed to be heading towards Mars.
Sometime over the next year, in AC 196, the automated production of mobile dolls at Vulkanus had apparently resumed, and the factory was producing the third iteration of the Virgo in large numbers. Attempts to relocate Vulkanus were further complicated by its defender. A massive mobile doll, the OZ-16MSX-D Scorpio, had been auto-manufactured and was now acting out its intended roll as the asteroid's guardian. A space survey team of OZ loyalists lead by Captain Broden were attempting to locate Vulkanus, with the intent to capture it and journey outside the Earth Sphere, to Mars or Venus, to start a new military order to challenge the new Earth government. Broden's pursuit was being stymied by the Scorpio, but when Gundam pilot Chang Wufei came to ally with them the OZ space forces felt they had a better chance to capture Vulkanus. Perfect Peace People leader Victor Gaintz was also in pursuit of the factory, thinking he can use its capabilities to force a total disarmament of all humanity. The Gundam pilots, hearing rumors of the search for Vulkanus and the coming conflict, seek help from their allies and are able to discern the location of Vulkanus from the personal effects of Duke Dermail through his granddaughter Dorothy Catalonia.
All three forces converge on Vulkanus and a three-way battle erupts, but Gaintz takes control of the Scorpio with an access code, and the Perfect Peace People assume temporary control of Vulkanus and demand the surrender of all the other forces. Broden refuses, but is assassinated by a Perfect Peace People collaborator within his own ranks. The Gundam pilots break through the Virgo3 forces and Duo Maxwell and Quatre Raberba Winner are able to infiltrate Vulkanus and disable the mobile doll operating system, disabling all of the Virgos and ending the fighting. Gaintz now refuses to surrender, and he is killed when Wing Gundam Zero pilot Heero Yuy destroys the Scorpio. With the battle ended the Gundam pilots assume control of Vulkanus. Discussing what to do with the factory, the Gundam pilots decide to send the asteroid into the Sun to ensure its total destruction. Quatre urges the other Gundam pilots to consider destroying their Gundams as well, and they agree to do so with the sole exception of Wufei.
Within a few months four of the Gundams are loaded into Vulkanus, referred to as a "disposal satellite," and its engines are ignited, sending the asteroid on a direct course with the Sun. At the tail end of December Mariemaia's Rebellion is launched. Realizing that the Gundams are needed again Quatre, with the assistance of the Maganac Corps, launches a desperate mission to intercept the Gundam disposal block. Vulkanus is still fifty days from the orbit of Venus. Plotting the fastest course they calculate that it will take almost two days to reach it, and only have a five second window of time to board the asteroid. Quatre manages to board the asteroid alone, and destroys Vulkanus's power plant. The force of the explosion turns the asteroid and Quatre is able to get the asteroid back on a trajectory to return to Earth. Returned to the Earth Sphere the asteroid was abandoned by the Gundam pilots, who descended to Brussels in their Gundams to end Mariemaia's Rebellion.
Vulkanis remained in Earth's orbit for some time after Mariemaia's Rebellion was thwarted. With the ESUN banning mobile suits and other weapons of war in an attempt to ensure peace, Vulkanus would have been slated to be destroyed. However, through some underhanded means, at some point Vulkanus and some remaining Virgos comes into the possession of the Noinheim Konzern, and the asteroid is transferred to Martian orbit where it likely plays a roll in the production of bipedal Mars TerraFormers. These MTFs are easily converted to 'Mars Suits' humanoid combat weapons designed for use on Mars in the conflicts in the new Mars Century.