Mercury

Mercury is a planet in the Sol System of the Cyberpunk universe.

The closest planet to the sun, Mercury is a virtually airless ball of rock. It is so close to the sun that its surface temperature reaches 2000C. However, as its axis is nearly perpendicular to the sun, some areas of the pole may be freezing. Mercury rotates slowly, taking almost 59 Earth days for a single rotation, and has only a weak magnetic field which temporarily catches a small amount of the intense ionizing radiation streaming from the sun.

Mercury is unlikely to be viewed as a potential planet for colonization given the extreme temperatures and high levels of radiation. Along with Venus, however, it is a potential location for unmanned mining operations, especially near the poles. It may be a rich source of less volatile elements, although mining operations within the Belt may provide a much greater return with less expense and risk involved. There is also a suggestion that a large-scale solar power collector/emitter might be assembled in orbit here.