Paaliaq

Paaliaq (/ˈpɑːli.ɑːk/ PAH-lee-ahk) is a prograde irregular satellite of Saturn. It was discovered by Brett J. Gladman, John J. Kavelaars, Jean-Marc Petit, Hans Scholl, Matthew J. Holman, Brian G. Marsden, Philip D. Nicholson and Joseph A. Burns in early October 2000, and given the temporary designation S/2000 S 2. It was named in August 2003 after a fictional shaman in the book The Curse of the Shaman, written by Michael Kusugak, who supplied Kavelaars with the names of giants from Inuit mythology that were used for other Saturnian moons.

Paaliaq is about 22 kilometers in diameter and orbits Saturn at an average distance of 15.2 million km in 687 days. It is a member of the Inuit group of irregular satellites. It also has proximity with 9 other moons reaching up to ten miles from each.

It is light red in color, and in the infrared the Paaliapian (Paaliaqan) spectrum is very similar to the Inuit-group satellites Kiviuq and Siarnaq, supporting the thesis of a possible common origin of the Inuit group in the break-up of a larger body.

Paaliaq is a small moon was physically surveyed during the Greater Solar System Survey Project (Phase IV) which included a detailed survey of all the smaller Saturn and Jupiter moons. (2115 - 2121 ) In 2117 Paaliaq was visited by the UE Leibnitz.

The moon was claimed by Saturn Fuel (Tri Corp: Shell, Texaco, BP) first used as a staging and assembly place for the Floating Cities (Pump Stations) of Saturn, later utilized as Fuel depot. The moon was also mined. There are smelter and metal factories. Today there is still a significant heavy industries operation. Tri-Corp still owns the moon. There are about 60,000 permanent residents and an additional 30,000 that commute from other Sol system destinations. The main settlement "Jean-Marc Petit" aka Petit-Town features a Space Tram station.