Astra

Astra
Also called:	Astro
Type:	Planet
Natives:	Astrans
First mentioned in:	The Rescue
First appearance:	Colonel Zodiac Disappears
Appearances:	AUDIO: The Crash of the UK-201

You may be looking for princess of the same name.

Astra was a planet, whose native inhabitants were known as the Astrans. In the 21st century, it was the core of the Astra Space Empire or Astran Empire, the closest space power to the solar system. There were frequent skirmish at the borders of the solar system between human space forces and Astran space fleets, ultimately resulting in a Space War in 2065. By the 25th century, however, the planet was home to an Earth colony.

The Astrans' capital city, located on Astra, was the city of Kapland.

History

21st century

In 2061, an election on Astra reelected the 610th Kaplan with 90% of the vote. (PROSE: Kaplan Assassinated!)

On 5 June 2065, after the Kaplan of Astra was assassinated, the new Kaplan departed Unity City to return to Astra. (COMIC: The Amaryll Challenge)

25th century

By one account, an Earth colony was established on Astra at some point after the 23rd century. (AUDIO: The Suffering) It existed in the 25th century, but like most Earth colonies in that era, the Seventh Doctor described it as a "horrible place" dependent on pot-plants and air conditioning. (PROSE: Christmas on a Rational Planet)

The ninth group of human colonists went to Astra on the ship Astra Nine in 2493. Its passengers included Vicki, her father, and Bennett. (PROSE: The Rescue) However, either eight days (AUDIO: The Crash of the UK-201) or eight years into the journey, (PROSE: The Rescue) it crashed into the planet Dido. (TV: The Rescue) By another account, the ship was called the UK-201, and in an alternate timeline where Vicki prevented its crash, it reached Astra safely. There her father began working in an observatory, but he and his colleagues were killed by a meteor shower.

In this timeline, Vicki ultimately married the human surgeon Jeran Dalton on Astra, and their daughter Maria became governor. During her administration, the colony came under threat by two challenges from the planet's Outer Provinces: an outbreak of space plague and an uprising of rebel forces. After Maria's sister Carla Dalton was killed by rebels during their invasion of the Outer Provinces, Maria was able to negotiate peace; however, in another timeline where Carla survived, the rebels gained the upper hand over the government and the Dalton family was forced to become refugees. (AUDIO: The Crash of the UK-201)