A-3ES3, Syndicate - The Tash-Murkon Shipyard, a Raitaru-class engineering complex, operating under the banner of I-RED's Operation Grey Steel©, has finally had its population restriction lifted. Until today, the facility had only been operating under a bare minimum of essential crew. I-RED has provided only brief comment as to why there was a population limit instilled for so long.

"We had a design shuffle regarding the implementation of the Atlas Space Transit System. With the construction of the Tash-Murkon Shipyard, we saved a valuable amount of resources, time, and money rerouting the space elevator system to this facility rather than the Tash-Murkon Refinery", stated I-RED Director of Public Works Roirdan Bouchate in a press conference. "Because of these change of plans, the base design of the Tash-Murkon Shipyard had to modified to handle a space elevator system connecting to it. We've ran many tests and our engineers have determined that the system is safe to operate now."

Atlas and Cloudfront is a major and bold project announced by I-RED on YC118.11.19. Some critics have labeled the entire project as highly controversial due to the extremely public nature of it, and the sheer scale. Atlas will be the first publicly announced city on a terrestrial world in the region of Syndicate - a bold slap to the face of the ancient Federal ban on the settlement of worlds in the region by exiled Intaki. The city is still developing at a rapid pace, and now boasts a hefty population of 75,000 and growing. The city itself is built around a major space elevator apparatus, the Atlas Space Transit System. Many of the core districts of the city are finished or nearing completion. Director Bouchate is touting it as a "master-planned city."

Sitting roughly 100 km above the sprawling metropolis of Atlas is the massive installation of Cloudfront. This space station acts as a point between the city below to the Tash-Murkon Shipyard above. The facility is designed to serves primarily a maintenance role over the space elevator system, housing the equipment and tools needed to keep it running smoothly. There will also be plenty of residential and commercial sectors aboard the station for residents who want to live with a scenic view. Details on the maximum population allowed aboard Cloudfront have not been released by I-RED, but it is speculated to cap out around 30,000. The current number of inhabitants currently aboard Cloudfront has also not been released by I-RED, but many wealthy residents have already bought up good property aboard the facility.

The Federation so far has remained quiet on commenting about the ambitious project. A Federation attorney argued on behalf of I-RED, "the decree made generations ago by the Federation against the exiled Intaki stated that the Intaki were not to settle on worlds in Syndicate - it never included Caldari corporate-sponsored settlement; therein lies the loophole which I-RED seems to have used to its advantage."

With the space elevator system now fully operational, as well as Cloudfront being fully completed and Atlas well on track of its development, questions have popped up as to why I-RED has remained relatively quiet on the successes so far.

"It is true we have been hush-hush on the subject of Atlas and Cloudfront," noted Director Bouchate. "Security and safety of our personnel and the Intaki residents which have flocked to Atlas and Cloudfront remains our priority. At this point, however, the Directorship feels ready to proceed with a more official stance on the matter."

It is expected that I-RED will make an official public statement about Atlas and Cloudfront in the days ahead.

Selenna Solange • YC119.12.20