Oribiting satellite factories of various sizes may be found in many star systems. Largely neglected since the fall of the Star League, or destroyed during the Jihad, these factories have become increasingly important due to the recent resurgence of zero-G manufacturing in the Human Sphere. This resurgence has been spurred by the many new high-tech systems that require materials refined or produced away from the disturbing effects of gravity.
         These factories can weigh anywhere from 2,000 to 200,000 tons. Most are poorly armed, which leaves them vulnerable to almost any attacker, although many larger factories carry a small number of anti-fighter and anti-missle weapons. The largest factory station in existence is a germanium-ore refinery at Federated-Boeing Interstellar's Galax Megaplex. The original automated factory was nuked by the Word of Blake, but the deep pockets of Federated-Boeing rebuilt the factory. A shell of former self, it still gives the Federated Suns a powerful factory complex to base their WarShip production on.
         This is an example of a standard small factory seen in use throughout the Human Sphere.