Gliese 581 G (EV)
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Gliese 581 G (pronounced /ˈɡliːzə/) or Gl 581 G, named Flora, after the Roman goddess of flowers, is one of six extrasolar planets found around Gliese 581, an M3V red dwarf star approximately 20.5 light-years away from Earth in the constellation of Libra. The planet lies near the middle of the Goldilocks zone, or habitable zone of its parent star, providing for the presence of liquid water. The discovery of Gliese 581 G was announced in September 2010, and was believed to be the first Goldilocks planet ever found, the most Earth-like planet, and the best exoplanet candidate with the potential for harboring life found at the time. The planet was detected using radial velocity measurements combining the data from the HIRES instrument of the Keck 1 telescope and the HARPS instrument of ESO's 3.6m telescope at La Silla Observatory. Flora has a mass of three to four times that of the Earth and an orbital period of just under 37 days. Steven Vogt, the co-discoverer, unofficially named the planet "Zarmina", after his wife. It was officially named "Flora", by NASA, in 2030.
Gliese 581 G was expected to be tidally locked to its star, just as our moon is to the Earth; the length of Gliese 581 G's day would then precisely match the length of its year. With one side of the planet always facing the star, continuous Earth-like temperatures were imaginable in the area between the bright and the dark side. However, this was untrue. Flora features a rotation lasting 26.4 hours, giving the entire world an even night/day climate and temperature.
Gliese Discovery Mission
On February 14, 2027, NASA and the Union of Everett military launched a manned mission to the Gliese 581 system, the first human interstellar manned mission, sending an AC-0001 Discovery-class space craft along with a series of two dozen satellites and specialized UAV, UGV and USV Explorer-class craft. While the mission was expected to take some 30 years, a critical fusion magnetism containment breach formed a wormhole, allowing for accidental near instantaneous transit to Gliese 581.
EVSF Discovery arrived in the Gliese 581 system in the Libra constellation six hours later on the same date and fired off its two dozen satellites into various locations within the Gliese 581 system. EVSF Discovery first performed a fly-by of Gliese 581 D, the furthest planet from its sun, deploying UAV, USV and UGV craft to the surface. Discovery then entered orbit of Gliese 581 G, discovered in September 2010, and deployed UAV, UGV and USV craft to the surface. Atmospheric conditions capable of sustaining human life were noted, and astronauts were deployed to the surface via a smaller transport vessel and landed along the equator of the planet. UAV craft in the air had already confirmed atmospheric conditions and UGV craft confirmed plant life and potential for animal life. USV craft deployed to the seas confirmed the existence of plankton-like organisms in the oceans. Everetti astronauts confirmed the existence of highly evolved life on other planets on February 23rd, 2027 with the discovery of mammal, reptile and amphibian lifeforms. Flora contains an atmospheric content of 80% nitrogen, 19% oxygen, 3% carbon dioxide and 1% other gases.
581 G
Flora is currently the only confirmed Earth-like planet discovered. Following three years of scientific research led by a joint NASA-ESA operation between 2027 and 2031, various species of plant and animal life have been discovered in the seas and on land. Flying creatures have been discovered but seem to be more rare. The equator is very Earth-like, similar to the Canadian wilderness and Cascadian region of Earth. Further north or south of the equator becomes a tundra-like climate and eventually an arctic polar region at the northern and southern regions. Strange structures have been found along an eastern continent, which had lead scientists to believe the planet was once inhabited by a race of sentient technological beings.
