Rigel XII

Rigel XII, also known as the Rigel mining planet, was the nearly uninhabited twelfth planet of the Rigel system. This Class M planet was located in the Beta Quadrant and was less than two days away at impulse speed from an asteroid belt.

The planet was approximately 5.4 billion solar years old. (SNW: "Among the Lotus Eaters")

Conditions on the planet were harsh, and Human habitation was only possible in sealed pressure domes. The atmosphere was capable of supporting humanoid lifeforms. Grit and dust were everywhere, and sandstorms were a frequent occurrence. These storms were especially bad during a magnetic storm. Water was scarce, and plant life was twisted and sere.

In the mid-23rd century, Rigel XII was the site of a lithium mining operation run by Ben Childress with two partners, established in 2263. In 2266, con artist Harcourt Fenton Mudd, using the illegal Venus drug, attempted to sell Eve McHuron, Ruth Bonaventure and Magda Kovacs to the miners. (TOS: "Mudd's Women")

Appendices

Background information

The planet's classification came from the Star Trek Encyclopedia, 4th ed., vol. 2, p. 222. An alternate classification was given by the Star Trek: Star Charts (p. 21), which classified this planet as a H-class planet.

This planet's quadrant of origin was inferred based on the position of its star system as seen in the star chart appearing in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.

The planet's age was inferred from the age of its sister planet, Rigel VII, with the assumption that they formed at about the same time.

In the final draft script of "Mudd's Women", sandstorms and wind weren't the only environmental conditions Rigel XII was established as having, as the planet's climate was also said to "get very hot."

The exteriors and interiors of Rigel XII were built as sets on Desilu Stage 10.

In the script of "From the First Day to the Last, Part II" (a precursor to TOS: "The Menagerie, Part II"), Rigel XII was said to be a lithium mining operation.

For the pre-remastered version of "Mudd's Women", Rigel XII was the first use of the blue model of planet. This planet model would be used for Psi 2000 ("The Naked Now"), Exo III ("What Are Little Girls Made Of?"), M-11 ("Court Martial" and "The Menagerie, Part I"), and Eminiar VII ("A Taste of Armageddon"). For the remastered version of "Mudd's Women", a new planet model was created by CGI artist Max Gabl.

The current location of Rigel XII in the Beta Quadrant was based on the most recent star charts seen in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and Star Trek: Section 31.

External links

• Rigel XII at Memory Beta, the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• Planets in TOS and TOS Remastered at Ex Astris Scientia