Grade Three planet

Grade 3 planets, also written as Grade Three Planets, (PROSE: Doctor Who and the Ribos Operation) Grade Three planets, and grade three planets, were primitive worlds which were in a pre-space age state. The Central Galactic Census Bureau defined a grade three planet as "a planet that has no significant technology, no knowledge of other worlds, and as such, has a protected status". Strellin was considered grade 3, essentially a medieval society, where landings by offworlders were strictly prohibited. (AUDIO: Order of the Daleks)

Ribos was also considered grade 3, and would take thousands of years to reach grade 2 status. Until then, commercial mining could not take place as the inhabitants were unaware of other life forms. (TV: The Ribos Operation)

Rhinvil was considered a grade three planet with no history of indigenous life until it was discovered the planet itself was alive. (AUDIO: The Stone's Lament)

Oddly enough, Grade One Planets shared a similar description to Grade Threes, in that they were developing planets under a protected status until they reached Grade Two status, at which point first contact teams could visit. Their societies were pre-industrial, nomadic, tribal, and feudal, and the most advanced machine was the wheel. While it was forbidden to interfere in the planet's development and let the inhabitants know of off-worlders, visitors could go undercover but could not damage indigenous cultural artefacts. (AUDIO: The Bellotron Incident)