For any Gundam Wing fanfic writer, when keeping it canon (non-AU), knowing the locations of places is something to deal with. It can be annoying, especially when writing about travel between colony clusters. It’s always great to orient oneself when writing. So this handy map helps:
To begin, let’s translate what we see here.
In the middle there is the Earth (Japanese: 地球 or “chi kyuu”). To the far left of the image is the Moon (Japanese: 月 or “tsuki”). You can see each colony cluster represented by the small circles around the Earth and Moon, labeled “L__ colony cluster” (Japanese: L__ コロニー群 or “L4 koronii mura”). Orbiting the Earth is MO II and MO III, the resource satellites. Colony X-18999 is in the L3 colony cluster. Near the Moon is Space Fortress Barge (Japanese: 宇宙要塞バルジ or “uchuu yousai baruji”. The square at the image bottom, well, the picture isn’t clear enough to make out the kanji, but it’s pointing towards the sun (太陽へ, “tai you he” or “to the Sun”). Since this is an Endless Waltz map, it can be assumed that it’s the carrier holding the gundams which Quatre sent towards the Sun.
Okay, so what we know about colonies in Gundam Wing is that for each Lagrange point, there is a “cluster” of colonies. How many colonies reside in one cluster, we don’t know for sure, but judging by clips from the show, one may have at least five colonies in it.
I’m no physics or science expert, and I’m basically regurgitating info here, but...
Lagrange points are defined as “five special points where a small mass can orbit in a constant pattern with two larger masses”. If you look on Wikipedia or any article describing Lagrange points, it shows the five points orbiting the Earth and the Sun, however the definition says “two larger masses”. In GW’s case, they orbit the Earth and the moon in the Earth-Moon system.
On this Endless Waltz map...
Although there is a dotted line going around the Moon, L1 and L2 are stationary. The L1 point always has a view of the Moon and the Earth, and is in the best position for travel between the two. L2 is situated on the far side of the Moon, never sees the Earth, and is affected by Moonquakes (yes, it’s a real thing!). L1 and L2 are unstable positions; L1, since it sits between the gravitational pulls of the Earth and the Moon and L2 since it sits between the Moon and open space. Location adjustments (stationkeeping) are constantly needed. L2 is a perfect location to launch spacecraft for interplanetary travel since the Sun, Earth, and Moon will always be behind the craft, and it can use solar power for propulsion. So sending people to Preventer satellites for Mars projects would best set off from here!
L4 and L5 are the most stable positions since they are at the apex of two equilateral triangles between the Earth and Moon. L4 leads the Moon’s orbit around the Earth while L5 follows the Moon’s orbit. Since being stable, both locations are ideal bases for travel within the Earth and Moon’s orbits. Every location in the Earth-Moon Lagrangian system are relatively simple to reach from L4 and L5. A colony-building company like Winner Enterprises probs has their HQ in L4 for this reason.
The L3 position is the furthest from the Moon and never sees the Moon. In the GW universe, L3 would be the most trying location to live at since travel time is the longest, and it is the furthest away from the centers of civilization, if we consider “civilization” the Earth and the Moon, and the space between (where space travel would probs have the most traffic and fastest spread of information). I guess L3 could be considered “the boonies” of the Earth and Space spheres. Also, it’s slightly unstable, since it can be pulled on by objects outside the Earth’s orbit if they pass nearby.
So, yeah. Lagrange points. Happy writing, GW fans!
