Nanodynamics (corporation)

Nanodynamics is a corporation featured in Transhuman Space, and one of the largest in the setting. It is a member of the Titan Consortium, a coalition of government and industry focused on mining Helium-3 and minerals from Saturn. They represent a classic, massive tech company, with the outward PR of slinkies and microbot toothpaste while making a fortune in military tech contracts.

The Titan Consortium: The Race for Cheap Space Gas

Although sounding like a paperback novel, this coalition is a combination of governments and industry working together to mine the moons of Saturn--particularly Titan--as well as gasses from Saturn itself. Nanodynamics dominates the Consortium's overall landscape, along with their business partner, Columbia Aerospace. Nanodynamics oversaw construction and operation of robo-factories on Titan, while Columbia Aerospace developed the drone scoops and autonomous tankers while operating them from Cassini Station.

The Consortium's main governmental backers are from the National Atmospheric Helium Gas Initiative, or NAHGI, which consists of the United States, Brazil, some parts of Canada, and Mexico.

The Columbia-Nanodynamics alliance, with their fleet of robotic tankers, got their first shipment of Helium-3 in 2081--and ever since, has had a firm influence over the Helium-3 trade.

Troubles on Titan

The Consortium was planning on returning most of their crew home after construction of the Titan bases, leaving the bases almost completely automated--however, things were not so simple. Unforeseen breakdowns and difficulties with AI systems resulted in a great need for technical staff, so many workers who planned on going home were re-hired to keep the stations running. Over time, the spartan accommodations of Titan were upgraded into more long-term living spaces, turning the Titan bases into a sort of "accidental colony", exporting Helium-3, nitrogen and minerals to space habitats in the asteroid belt by the 2090s.

Troubles on 4 Vesta: Exogenesis

Exogenesis (and by extension its titular station) was bought by Nanodynamics and the transition was rough at best. The Exogenesis Station, with a population of about 7,200 people, is currently occupied by a mercenary force, Executive Decisions Inc., and the situation is tense. Nanodynamics is certainly the bad guy in this one, not recognizing the freedoms their AI employees had under previous management. Certainly an interesting place for an adventure.

Other Stations

• Asgard Station, built into the Asgard crater on Callisto, a moon of Jupiter. This station supplies operations in the Main Belt as well as Titan. It has a population of about 400.

History

• before 2027 -- company founded
• 2027 -- builds an orbital industrial park with Columbia Aerospace
• 2042 -- manufactures military microbot swarms for the United States Army
• 2047 -- markets the first virtual-interface-computer brain implants
• 2052 -- develops sensory-link brain implants, the first "slinkies"
• 2063 -- begins developing cellular regeneration technology
  • microbot toothpaste is invented this year, likely produced by Nanodynamics
• 2070 -- begins marketing cheap cellular repair nanosymbionts, used by spacers to treat radiation damage
• 2090 -- establishes ice-mining base on Jupiter's moon, Callisto
• 2099 --
  • July -- Nanodynamics buys Exogenesis from System Technologies AG for $16.7 billion
  • August -- Property rights dispute between Nanodynamics and former Exogenesis employees and infomorphs results in a tense standoff at Exogenesis Station on Vesta
  • October -- Executive Decisions Inc. mercenaries (hired by Nanodynamics) seize Exogenesis Station.
    • Fighting is reported at Exogenesis bases elsewhere in the system

Fandom Analysis

Nanodynamics was founded sometime before 2027, long before nanobots were made common. This implies that their name was originally a reference to non-robotic "nano" technologies, such as fine materials or electronic processors.