With the Network three months old as of Tuesday, November’s report looks back over the last few weeks within CCN. It is amazing to see what’s happened in that time.

The Exploration Wing

“This month the primary focus of the Exploration Wing is the Colonia Core Circuit Expedition (C3E),” Cmdr Satsuma told the Gazette.

“This guided trip through the Galactic Core explores a dozen of the most dramatic places in the area, as well as making history for being the first fleet expedition which does not start, end, or touch the Bubble. In addition, the Expedition will also make history as being one of two fleet expeditions to rendezvous in deep space, meeting the Galactic Nebula Expedition at Sagittarius A* at the end of November.”

Colonia has felt quiet since the C3E departed on Sunday 6th. The Events team held a send-off party for the fleet the night before the launch, which was well-attended and proved a lot of fun. Since then, the Colony has been treated to countless images of the incredible sights on the expedition’s route via long-range transmission.

Colonia Nebula Project

The CNP has been quiet of late, as it’s busy coordinators, Cmdrs EfilOne and Alex Ringess, take some time out. The latest navigational update from the Pilot’s Federation has enabled the Project members to effortlessly catalogue astronomical bodies as they are scanned, meaning an end to the form-filling that characterised the Project’s early days.

Geographic Survey Project

One of CCN’s younger projects, the Geographic Survey Project (GSP) only numbers 11 members so far. While the CNP seeks to exhaustively catalogue the Nebula’s astronomical bodies, the GSP aims to make those places feel more like our new home – by mapping and naming noteworthy features like mountains, ravines, canyons, geysers, valleys, craters and volcanoes.

Cmdr Tharrn, one of the Survey Coordinators, has been quietly building the infrastructure needed for the work to begin.

“The plan is to have some community polls on names for the planets in the Colonia system, as well as the surrounding systems that have outposts,” he told the Gazette.

Events

The Events office at Colonia Hub has been buzzing for the past month, hosting great occasions nearly every weekend in Colonia. Held in October were the King of the Plateau, SRV Hitchhike, and the big Running Man Grand Prix, celebrating the 1,000th Colonist joining the Network. All were major successes in attendance and enjoyment.

“Our biggest event so far in November was the Send-Off Party for C3E, with an amazing turnout,” said Cmdr Petroph, the indomitable Head of Events.

“Everyone had a blast and we had a pretty sizeable mass jump. However, with the C3E event, many active citizens are no longer in Colonia. Events around Colonia may be more scarce until the C3E expedition and the Christmas Carriers Convoy (CCC) gets back.”

That hasn’t stopped the Events team growing, however, with Cmdr Kitsuniro Kuzuko adding his talents to the group. Their focus is now on filling the calendar for January, so that when the returning expeditions swell the Colony’s ranks there will be plenty to keep everyone occupied.

Colonia Militia Forces

The latest groups to enter into the mutual defence pact for the Colony were the Earth Defense Fleet (EDF) and the German-speaking Explorer On Tour, bringing the total number of pledged groups to thirteen. The EDF’s exploratory arm, the Earth Expeditionary Fleet, is heavily involved with the Militia Escort for the Christmas Carriers Convoy.

The Militia’s top unit, the Colonial Marines, grew to eleven members; Cmdrs Alex Ringess, Ar’Vessah, Hasmodai, Erimus Kamzel, Ragnar Starquester, Souvarine, Qwertyuiopas, Tharrn, unrealisation, Yuksarr and Zephrow have all earned the right to fly the respected Green Ridgenose colours on their patrol Vipers.

But the overwhelming focus for all at the Barracks this month has been preparations for the looming Christmas Carriers Convoy, which today passed 400 signups. This monumental expedition, departing the Bubble on December 2nd, is to be escorted by Militia pilots through the Scutum-Sagittarii Conflux region, the scene of much activity over recent days. Pilots throughout the Militia have been making the long pilgrimage back to the Bubble in order to prepare for launch day.

Cmdr Ian Doncaster of the Iridium Wing, who is heading up the Militia’s Escort operations, has been making use of his considerable strategic expertise in the plans for the Big Launch.

“Hundreds of fully loaded transports make an obvious target for pirates, and it’s vital we protect them – not just for the obvious cargo they carry, but for the survey data they’ll collect as they traverse the highway. Data which will be more valuable to Colonia long-term than any goods,” he told the Gazette.

Miners and Rockrats

One of CCN’s largest communities, the Miners and Rockrats were mobilised in force in October for the Colonia Council’s push to gather Palladium in order to strengthen the Colony’s infrastructure. In all, 755 miners gathered 179,798 tons of the rare metal.

As well as sheer numbers, Colonia’s miners have been coming up with ingenious ways to use data to improve their yields – gathering mining logs from their ships’ scanners to determine what micro materials exist in each resource-rich location, for example. So far, 14,255 materials have been logged in this way. The Belt Asteroid Catalogue has also increased to 589 asteroids, allowing the miners to–remarkably–predict resources in as yet-unmapped belt clusters.

Cmdrs Ultros and Fuchsov succeeded in mapping the first diamond asteroids in one of the 36 recently-discovered extraction sites in the Nebula, which will no doubt provide a source of valuable trading wealth for the Colony.

The Miners have also been directing their efforts to strengthening those young factions trying to promote law and order in Colonia.

“Miners have been helping cooperative Colonia factions attempting to expand to new systems over the last few weeks, by taking on missions to provide them with raw materials,” Cmdr YinYin told the Gazette.

Press and Media

The Running Man Grand Prix, held exactly eight weeks after CCN first launched, was undoubtedly one of the Media team’s greatest achievements to date, broadcast live seamlessly from several camera crews. Since then, the team’s big focus has been preparations for the Christmas Carriers Convoy.

Cmdr unrealisation has taken over running CCN TV, and Maximilian Reach’s team of Video Editors continue to produce stunning work like the CCC promotional video. In addition, Cmdr Atomicb0mb639 has stepped in to manage CCN’s social media.

“I’m excited to be able to help,” he told your correspondent.

All in all, a palpable sense of anticipation can be felt in Colonia at the moment. What with party season in full swing, last-minute preparations for the CCC, as well as the knowledge that many more groups of pilots will be coming out to the Nebula over the next few weeks, it certainly is a great time to be a Colonist.

If you would like to get involved with any of CCN’s Projects, or have an idea for your own that you’d like the community’s help with, feel free to join the network here and speak to a Custodian.