MOTD June 21 (a little early)
Callisto rolled into Watkuweis a little less than three days ago. In that time, we have crushed the goal of exploring a 100 ly cube. The work is winding down as I write and the data has yet to be cleaned-up but the scope of what we have accomplished is beginning to take form. Imagine FSS scanning every planet and DSS scanning every ring in every system of a 100 x 100 x 100 ly cube. In our neighborhood, that's close to 900 systems and a similar number of rings with a planet count around 9,000.
Take a moment to let that soak in…
That's exactly what the Callisto's Respite Expedition has done since arriving in the Arcadian Stream on June 18th!
So what's next?
Top priority is to finish the cube. After that, I would like to shift our emphasis to scouting.
We're looking for a suitable system to deploy the Callisto. We have made a lot of interesting discoveries, including several Trit2 hotspots, but I don't think we've quite yet found a system where we want to permanently deploy Callisto.
We currently have a small team of volunteers working on what I think of as Exploration Grids 2.0. The 1.0 version we have been using worked well in testing in May with four CMDRs in a small patch of the galaxy. Once we scaled up to a full expedition with thousands of records, though, limitations started to show. I don’t have an ETA for when this will be ready but the team is hard at work and I will be providing updates regularly.
Meanwhile, I would like to shift our exploration process from the systematic data gathering of the grids we have been using to all-out scouting. For those of you who want to continue searching for Callisto's deployment system, I would like you to spend the next few days scattering in random directions and enjoying true exploration at its best. Please stay within 1,000 ly of the FC in the X and Y axis but go as high or low as you like in the Z axis. Go find amazing things and report them in the form I have linked in our Discord channel.
Areas of potential interest:
- Close to Z-axis 0 where the stellar density should be higher
- Neutron fields
- More of the Watkuweis area
As with all of our group activities, this is completely optional. You are free to do as you like and enjoy the game and the Callisto as you see fit. If exploring is not your thing, there is mining to be done, as well. Really, however you most want to spend time in our little stretch of the galaxy is fine.
I remain amazed at what we have accomplished in Arcadian Stream and am excited about what's next!
o7