Canon

Odyssey

From Halopedia, the Halo wiki

(Redirected from UNSC Odyssey)
Odyssey
Artwork of the Odyssey launching from Luna.
The Odyssey[1] in orbit over Luna[2] with a pair of Phoenix-class colony ships nearby.
Ship history
Unified Earth Government

Name:

Odyssey

Operator:

Colonial Administration Authority[1]

Fate:

Deconstructed in colonization process of Reach[1]

General characteristics

Type:

Colony ship

Slipspace drive:

Yes

 

The Odyssey was the first interstellar human starship[3] and the lead ship in a fleet of colony ships[4] for the Colonial Administration Authority.[1]

Operational history[edit]

Construction and fate[edit]

The Odyssey was launched from a mooring platform in orbit over Luna[2] on January 1, 2362,[5][6] laden with troops and terraforming gear to spearhead the colonization of a new world.[4] Its launch was the result of decades of planning,[7] and the ship itself was the capstone to Project: OUTBOUND.[8]

The Odyssey was sent to Epsilon Eridani,[3] and would arrive at the world in late 2362.[8] It would settle this planet, which would become Reach.[2] The ship would be deconstructed on the world itself.[1]

Legacy[edit]

The launching of the Odyssey sparked the Domus Diaspora, the first wave of human expansion beyond the confines of the Sol system.[4]

Production notes[edit]

There remains some debate about whether humanity settled worlds outside the Sol system before Reach, which was colonized by the Odyssey in 2362 and marked the beginning of the Domus Diaspora. The original Xbox.com timeline states that colony ships were "unveiled" in 2310, and the Halo Encyclopedia (2022 edition) states extrasolar colonies Juneou and Titus had colonization dates of 2330 and 2355 respectively. An explanation as to why humanity unveiled their ships in 2310 and then waited 52 years to start the colonization process has yet to be given, beyond "decades of planning".[9] Most sources state that the Odyssey was the very first colony ship and Reach the very first colony.

Trivia[edit]

The name 'Odyssey' derives from an epic poem written by the Greek poet, Homer. The story follows a commander, Odysseus, who gets lost on his return from the Trojan War, sailing to various places over the course of two decades. The name is fitting for the ship because of the parallels: humanity embarks on a long voyage after emerging from the Interplanetary War. 'Odyssey' was also the callsign of the Command Module for the April 1970 Apollo 13 mission around the Moon.

List of appearances[edit]

Sources[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e Halo Encyclopedia (2022 edition), page 116
  2. ^ a b c Halo Mythos - Rise of Humanity, page 54
  3. ^ a b Halo Encyclopedia - Human Colonization of Space, page 42-43 (2009 & 2011 edition)
  4. ^ a b c Xbox.com, Halo Storyline: (Additional copy on HBO Forums) (Retrieved on Apr 24, 2008) [local archive] [external archive]
  5. ^ Halo Encyclopedia (2009 edition) - Famous UNSC Ships, page 256-257
  6. ^ Halo Encyclopedia (2011 edition) - Famous UNSC Ships, page 268-269
  7. ^ Halo Encyclopedia (2022 edition), page 21
  8. ^ a b Halo Encyclopedia (2022 edition), page 42
  9. ^ Halo Encyclopedia (2022 edition), page 21