2004 XR190

Buffy1.png Astro
On December 13, 2005, a team of astronomers (led by Lynne Allen) announced the discovery of a new planetary body between one-fifth to one half the size of Pluto , found during routine operation of the Canada-France Ecliptic Plane Survey (CFEPS) as part of the Legacy Survey on the Canada France Hawaii Telescope (CFEPS press release). The object's brightness indicates that it is likely to be between 500 and 1,000 kilometers (300 to 600 miles) in diameter. Currently designated 2004 XR190 (or XR 190) but nicknamed "Buffy," the object takes about 440 years to move around the Sun at an average distance (semi-major axis) of 57.4 AUs in a relatively circular orbit (e=0.11) that is inclined about 46.7° to the ecliptic. It is the first known object with a relatively circular but highly tilted orbit beyond Neptune and Pluto. This orbit is hard to explain using existing models of Edgeworth-Kuiper Belt formation (more technical details).

After 2098 OTT
During the United Earth - Detailed Solar System Survey of 2111 - the existence of 2004 XR190 is confirmed and in 2112 OTT physically surveyed. United Earth astronomers argue for month about the naming. But the events of the corporate wars and the Psi Troubles, the subject of 2004 XR190 is pushed to the fringes of public attention.

The Asteroid Belt Rush beginning in 2112 - also has three mining companies fight over the rights to 2004 XR190. This fight is also almost ignored and creates no significant news, but historians later find reports of intense fighting causing the death of thirty miners. Sixteen are killed as their prospector ship is destroyed by missiles. To this day no one has yet found any reports or evidence as to who fired the missiles.

Logan Mining Inc. the compamy that lost the sixteen miners including their founder Ben Logan ceases to exist. Cheng Dong Resources appears to emerge as the victor but Ngyen Minerals and Ores hires mercebaries (first company officially to do so in United Earth history) to drive Cheng Dong miners of the planetoid.(Causing the death of 21 miners.

This also marks the first official SWAT assault of United Earth police on a planetary body.

United Earth court charges Ngyen Minerals adninistation with murder.

In 2114 OTT SII Mining quietly took posession of the world.

Current
The world is now commonly known as Buffy, even though it is officially still designated as 2004 XR190. It has one settlemment called Lynne Allen Town with about 15,000 permanent residents. The world is technically still owned dby SII and is the administrative seat of the Linda Schwartz Foundation.