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Babylon 5 (space station)
Encyclopedia
Babylon 5 is a fictional space station
and the primary setting in the television series Babylon 5
. Its design is a variation of an O'Neill cylinder.
Babylon 5 was designed as the "last, best hope for peace". It was the last of five stations to be built, with its predecessors either being destroyed by terrorists, or, in the case of Babylon 4
, vanishing without a trace. The station is home to 250,000, including about 100,000 humans and 2,000 EarthForce personnel, and includes areas for business, accommodation and recreation.
. Its purpose was to "prevent another war by creating a place where humans and aliens could work out their differences peacefully". For this reason, it was situated in politically neutral space: in orbit around Epsilon III. It was a free port for a quarter of a million beings, and was co-funded by the Earth Alliance
and Minbari Federation after the crippling financial loss of Babylon 4
.
contractors ran out of money, the downbelow area was not fully developed, resulting in its utilization by businesses of a disreputable nature.
When people searching for better lives came aboard Babylon 5 and were unable to find it, they would assemble in downbelow after running out of money. With no means of getting home, the denizens of downbelow became a cheap labor force for illegal business operations, such as dust trafficking and smuggling.
Downbelow is a center of criminal activity on Babylon 5, though by no means is crime confined to that area. It is estimated that downbelow accounts for nine-tenths of the station's crime. Most inhabitants die in downbelow unknown and unremembered, trapped on the station for various reasons. The sector is mostly inhabited by humans, although a percentage of inhabitants include non-human species, such as Drazi, Brakiri, and Pak'ma'ra
.
; upon Babylon 5s declaration of independence, these became Babylon 5 security forces and ceased to wear EarthForce uniforms. Later, their duties were taken over by Interstellar Alliance forces. That said, much of the affairs of the station were governed by the Babylon 5 Council as well as other institutions.
The known commanders of the station during the series run are:
The Babylon 5 Council was set up along with the station, and consists of the station commander (who is ex officio Chairman of the Council and representative of the Earth Alliance
) and the ambassadors of the four other Great Powers:
The Vorlon seat was removed upon their departure from the galaxy. When Babylon 5 declared independence, the station commandant continued to sit on the Council, representing humanity
in general rather than the Earth Alliance in particular. The Babylon 5 Assembly includes the whole Council and adds a single collective vote to the League of Non-Aligned Worlds
. The Council and Assembly concern themselves both with matters of station operation and of interstellar diplomacy.
Upon the dissolution of the League and the establishment of the Interstellar Alliance, the Council's structure changed somewhat, but not significantly.
This setup appears inspired by the United Nations
and its Security Council
.
squadrons. A fourth was added when President Santiago
made his visit to the station in 2258. These are launched vertically, making use of the centrifugal effect caused by the revolving of the station. The station also had its own defensive grid system and was mainly capable of taking down enemy fighters and smaller capital ships. When Raiders attacked the station in 2258, these turrets were used to back up the Starfury squadrons.
In 2259 following the arrival of EarthForce marines, the station's defensive grid received an upgrade, giving the station the capability of taking on a capital ship, though the new commander, Captain John Sheridan
was reluctant to use it. The strength of the new defensive grid was shown in the final episode of the second season when the captain launched the whole defensive grid onto a Centauri Primus class battlecruiser
and destroyed it, after the station suffered major damage in the unprovoked attack.
The real test came in 2260 when President Morgan Clark ordered Babylon 5 seized before the station could declare independence. A fleet of EarthForce ships attacked the station and two other EarthForce ships that were present and aiding Babylon 5 at the time, the EAS Alexander and the EAS Churchill. The EAS Agrippa was the victim of the new defensive grid as the station, and with some help from the Alexander, completely destroyed the Agrippa after taking five direct hits from the station.
Space station
A space station is a spacecraft capable of supporting a crew which is designed to remain in space for an extended period of time, and to which other spacecraft can dock. A space station is distinguished from other spacecraft used for human spaceflight by its lack of major propulsion or landing...
and the primary setting in the television series Babylon 5
Babylon 5
Babylon 5 is an American science fiction television series created, produced and largely written by J. Michael Straczynski. The show centers on a space station named Babylon 5: a focal point for politics, diplomacy, and conflict during the years 2257–2262...
. Its design is a variation of an O'Neill cylinder.
Babylon 5 was designed as the "last, best hope for peace". It was the last of five stations to be built, with its predecessors either being destroyed by terrorists, or, in the case of Babylon 4
Babylon 4
Babylon 4 is a fictional space station from the television series Babylon 5.In the series, Babylon 4 was the immediate predecessor of Babylon 5 and the largest of the Babylon stations...
, vanishing without a trace. The station is home to 250,000, including about 100,000 humans and 2,000 EarthForce personnel, and includes areas for business, accommodation and recreation.
History
The last of the Babylon stations, Babylon 5 was constructed ten years after the Earth-Minbari WarEarth-Minbari War
The Earth–Minbari War is a fictional war that formed a major part of the back story of the science fiction television series, Babylon 5. The war was fought between the Earth Alliance and the Minbari, an older alien race that overwhelmingly outmatched Earth in terms of technology and weapons...
. Its purpose was to "prevent another war by creating a place where humans and aliens could work out their differences peacefully". For this reason, it was situated in politically neutral space: in orbit around Epsilon III. It was a free port for a quarter of a million beings, and was co-funded by the Earth Alliance
Earth Alliance (Babylon 5)
The Earth Alliance is the name of a fictional alliance of the nations of Earth and off-world colonies in the television series Babylon 5. The transition of Earth government from a democratic, elected government to an authoritarian, militaristic one and back to a democracy again is a major theme of...
and Minbari Federation after the crippling financial loss of Babylon 4
Babylon 4
Babylon 4 is a fictional space station from the television series Babylon 5.In the series, Babylon 4 was the immediate predecessor of Babylon 5 and the largest of the Babylon stations...
.
Sectors
Babylon 5 is organized into six color-coded sectors. The corresponding colors usually appear in hallways.Blue Sector
Blue Sector contains station administration, docking bays, personnel housing, and the Medlabs. Babylon 5 is controlled from Command and Control, also called C&C, which is at the head of the station. At the center of the head of the station is the access hatch that ships enter through (because of its limited size bigger ships have to park outside the station, relying on shuttle and transfer services instead).Red Sector
The front part of Red Sector provides habitation facilities, shopping, and other leisure facilities. The following section of Red Sector crosses over into the vast interior of the station's habitat cylinder and is restricted to station and diplomatic personnel and those who live and/or work there. This section of Red Sector features "outdoor" recreation facilities, a lake pool, a baseball diamond, and a variety of buildings, including the station commander's office overlooking the artificial landscape.Green Sector
Green Sector is the Garden, a 12 square miles (31.1 km²) agricultural facility, providing food and oxygen. This section showcases various alien designs and is the sector that contains habitation facilities for the alien ambassadors. Access to Green Sector is restricted to diplomatic staff and authorized guests and personnel.Yellow Sector
Yellow Sector is the location of the station's fusion reactor powering Babylon 5. It is located within the Grey Sector.Grey Sector
Grey Sector houses various mechanical devices to support the station's functionality.Brown Sector
Brown Sector is primarily used by the transient population of Babylon 5 for habitation and commerce. It contains the facilities for manufacturing, maintenance, and waste reclamation for the station.Downbelow
Downbelow, located in brown sector, is a term used in Babylon 5 to refer to the unused sections of the Babylon 5 station, mostly nearest the hull, occupied by its equivalent of the homeless or dispossessed residents, commonly called Lurkers. Downbelow contains the station's slums and brothels. Commerce runs primarily on barter. As Earth AllianceEarth Alliance (Babylon 5)
The Earth Alliance is the name of a fictional alliance of the nations of Earth and off-world colonies in the television series Babylon 5. The transition of Earth government from a democratic, elected government to an authoritarian, militaristic one and back to a democracy again is a major theme of...
contractors ran out of money, the downbelow area was not fully developed, resulting in its utilization by businesses of a disreputable nature.
When people searching for better lives came aboard Babylon 5 and were unable to find it, they would assemble in downbelow after running out of money. With no means of getting home, the denizens of downbelow became a cheap labor force for illegal business operations, such as dust trafficking and smuggling.
Downbelow is a center of criminal activity on Babylon 5, though by no means is crime confined to that area. It is estimated that downbelow accounts for nine-tenths of the station's crime. Most inhabitants die in downbelow unknown and unremembered, trapped on the station for various reasons. The sector is mostly inhabited by humans, although a percentage of inhabitants include non-human species, such as Drazi, Brakiri, and Pak'ma'ra
Pak'ma'ra
The pak'ma'ra are a fictional race of aliens in the Babylon 5 universe. They do not feature heavily in any storylines, partly on the pretext that other species avoid them because they are, for religious reasons, dedicated carrion eaters.Humanoid in form, the pak'ma'ra have tentacles around a mouth...
.
Institutions and government
Much of the station is an Earth Alliance (and later, Interstellar Alliance) military installation, and as such those sections are under the direct control of the military commandant of Babylon 5, who is usually an EarthForce officer of command rank. During the Earth Alliance era, Earth security forces also served as policePolice
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
; upon Babylon 5s declaration of independence, these became Babylon 5 security forces and ceased to wear EarthForce uniforms. Later, their duties were taken over by Interstellar Alliance forces. That said, much of the affairs of the station were governed by the Babylon 5 Council as well as other institutions.
The known commanders of the station during the series run are:
- 2257-2258:
- Commander Jeffrey SinclairJeffrey SinclairJeffrey Sinclair is a character in the fictional universe of the science fiction television series Babylon 5, played by actor Michael O'Hare. He was a regular in the first season of the show, as Commander of the Babylon 5 station, and made a number of guest appearances afterward.-Early life and...
, commanding officer - Lieutenant Commander Laurel TakashimaLaurel TakashimaLaurel Takashima is a fictional character from the science-fiction television series Babylon 5, portrayed by Tamlyn Tomita. Her only appearance was in the pilot movie The Gathering.-Character background:...
, first officer (2257) - Lieutenant Commander Susan IvanovaSusan IvanovaSusan Ivanova is a fictional character in the science fiction television series Babylon 5, played by Claudia Christian.-Character overview:...
, first officer (2258)
- Commander Jeffrey Sinclair
- 2259-2261:
- Captain John SheridanJohn Sheridan (Babylon 5)John J. Sheridan is a lead character in the fictional universe of the science-fiction television series Babylon 5, played by Bruce Boxleitner. For most of the series, he is the commander of the Babylon 5 station; during the series' final season he is the President of the Interstellar...
, commanding officer - Commander Susan Ivanova, first officer
- Captain John Sheridan
- 2262-unknown:
- Captain Elizabeth LochleyElizabeth LochleyElizabeth Lochley is a lead fictional character from the universe of the science fiction television series Babylon 5 and Crusade, played by Tracy Scoggins....
, commanding officer - It is unknown who Lochley's XO (executive officer) actually was, although Lieutenant David Corwin appeared to fill this role in Season 5, set in 2262
- Captain Elizabeth Lochley
- 2272:
- Colonel Elizabeth Lochley, commanding officer
- 2281:
- Commander William Nils, commanding officer ("Sleeping in LightSleeping in Light"Sleeping in Light" is the final episode of the science-fiction television series Babylon 5. The episode was nominated for the 1999 Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation.-Plot:...
")
- Commander William Nils, commanding officer ("Sleeping in Light
The Babylon 5 Council was set up along with the station, and consists of the station commander (who is ex officio Chairman of the Council and representative of the Earth Alliance
Earth Alliance (Babylon 5)
The Earth Alliance is the name of a fictional alliance of the nations of Earth and off-world colonies in the television series Babylon 5. The transition of Earth government from a democratic, elected government to an authoritarian, militaristic one and back to a democracy again is a major theme of...
) and the ambassadors of the four other Great Powers:
- Centauri RepublicCentauri (Babylon 5)The Centauri are a humanoid species in the fictional universe of the Babylon 5 television series. They were the first alien species to make open contact with the human race. Their homeworld is Centauri Prime, a small Earth-like planet consisting of two large continents and several smaller islands...
- Narn RegimeNarnThe Narn are a fictional alien race in the universe of the Babylon 5 television series. Their homeworld is also called Narn.-Homeworld:Narn is the homeworld of the Narn and the Narn Regime. Its day is 31 hours long. Prior to the Centauri's first invasion, Narn was a healthy green planet. Now it...
- Minbari FederationMinbariThe Minbari are a fictional alien race featured in the television show Babylon 5. The Minbari characters of Delenn and Lennier figure prominently throughout the series; Neroon, Draal, and Dukhat are less prominent Minbari characters....
- Vorlon EmpireVorlonA Vorlon is a member of a fictional alien species in the Babylon 5 television series and fictional universe. The Vorlon species is a member of the First Ones, a group made up of the earliest species to gain sentience in the galaxy...
The Vorlon seat was removed upon their departure from the galaxy. When Babylon 5 declared independence, the station commandant continued to sit on the Council, representing humanity
Human (Babylon 5)
Humans are one of the many races in the fictional Babylon 5 universe. They appear in all seasons of Babylon 5, and all of its spinoffs. Their homeworld is Earth, from which the interstellar Earth Alliance is governed...
in general rather than the Earth Alliance in particular. The Babylon 5 Assembly includes the whole Council and adds a single collective vote to the League of Non-Aligned Worlds
League of Non-Aligned Worlds
The League of Non-Aligned Worlds was a fictional collection of races in the Babylon 5 universe.The League of Non-Aligned Worlds was a loose confederation of independent worlds and minor species, most of whom had endured subjugation under the Centauri Republic at its height...
. The Council and Assembly concern themselves both with matters of station operation and of interstellar diplomacy.
Upon the dissolution of the League and the establishment of the Interstellar Alliance, the Council's structure changed somewhat, but not significantly.
This setup appears inspired by the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
and its Security Council
United Nations Security Council
The United Nations Security Council is one of the principal organs of the United Nations and is charged with the maintenance of international peace and security. Its powers, outlined in the United Nations Charter, include the establishment of peacekeeping operations, the establishment of...
.
Technological specifications
Upon its commissioning, Babylon 5 contained three StarfuryStarfury
The Starfury fighter is a fictional vessel used by Earthforce, the military branch of the Earth Alliance, in the science fiction television series Babylon 5...
squadrons. A fourth was added when President Santiago
Luis Santiago
Luis Santiago is a fictional character in the universe of the science fiction television drama Babylon 5, portrayed by a still photo of Douglas Netter...
made his visit to the station in 2258. These are launched vertically, making use of the centrifugal effect caused by the revolving of the station. The station also had its own defensive grid system and was mainly capable of taking down enemy fighters and smaller capital ships. When Raiders attacked the station in 2258, these turrets were used to back up the Starfury squadrons.
In 2259 following the arrival of EarthForce marines, the station's defensive grid received an upgrade, giving the station the capability of taking on a capital ship, though the new commander, Captain John Sheridan
John Sheridan (Babylon 5)
John J. Sheridan is a lead character in the fictional universe of the science-fiction television series Babylon 5, played by Bruce Boxleitner. For most of the series, he is the commander of the Babylon 5 station; during the series' final season he is the President of the Interstellar...
was reluctant to use it. The strength of the new defensive grid was shown in the final episode of the second season when the captain launched the whole defensive grid onto a Centauri Primus class battlecruiser
Primus Class Battlecruiser
The Primus class battle cruiser is a fictional battlecruiser in the fictional universe of Babylon 5.- Depiction :Designed to allow the Centauri to cause serious damage on the battlefield, the Primus was given a massive array of weapons including ion cannon turrets, battle lasers, missile launchers...
and destroyed it, after the station suffered major damage in the unprovoked attack.
The real test came in 2260 when President Morgan Clark ordered Babylon 5 seized before the station could declare independence. A fleet of EarthForce ships attacked the station and two other EarthForce ships that were present and aiding Babylon 5 at the time, the EAS Alexander and the EAS Churchill. The EAS Agrippa was the victim of the new defensive grid as the station, and with some help from the Alexander, completely destroyed the Agrippa after taking five direct hits from the station.
- Note: When Captain Sheridan gave the order to attack the Agrippa he in fact said: "Give me a firing solution on the Roanoke". which was another EarthForce sent to seize the station.
External links
- Babylon 5 at B5Tech.