View source for GCS Sarasvati

{{ShipIndividualInfobox
| image               = GCS Sarasvati.png
| manufacturer        = [[Galactic Cooperative]]
| model               = [[Megaship]]
| class               = 
| cost                = 
| hyperdrive          = [[Hyperdrive|Quirium Drive]]
| service             = 3151 - 3172
| affiliation         = [[Galactic Cooperative]]
| owner               = Project Equinox
| commander           = Dr. Cassandra Lockhart
| crew                = 
| passengers          = 
| system              = Sheron
| orbit               = A 1 a
| discovered          = September 27, 3303
}}
The '''GCS Sarasvati''' is a [[megaship]] that was operated by the [[Galactic Cooperative]]'s Project Equinox between 3151 and 3172. It was abandoned, and can be found in the Sheron system, formerly designated IC 4604 Sector FB-X c1-16, in an orbit above planet Sheron A 1 a.

== History ==
The GCS Sarasvati was one of multiple stationary deep space monitoring outposts deployed in 3151 under Project Equinox, a GalCop initiative to watch for [[Thargoid]] activity in the vicinity of the [[Core Systems]] that was set up in the aftermath of the [[First Thargoid War]]. However, by 3155, no new Thargoid presence had been detected whatsover, and Project Equinox's purpose came into question. The project was finally deactivated on August 16, 3172, only two years before GalCop itself dissolved, a consequence of it devoting much of its trade fleet to the war effort and most of its members breaking away over the following years amid a declining economy and rising corruption. Unfortunately, the end of Project Equinox was poorly timed, as project lead Dr. Cassandra Lockhart had unearthed evidence that the Thargoids had planted the [[Thargoid Barnacle|seeds]] of their future return; her warnings went unheeded. The GCS Sarasvati was abandoned and forgotten until September 27, 3303, when CMDR Smarty771 stumbled upon it during a survey of the IC 4604 Nebula.<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/72pac3/my_exploration_adventure_and_discovery_of_an_old/ r/EliteDangerous: My exploration adventure.. and discovery of an old Anti-Thargoid Outpost]</ref><ref>[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php/380074-GCS-Sarasvati-early-Thargoid-lookout-megaship?p=5961637&viewfull=1#post5961637 Frontier Forums: GCS Sarasvati - early Thargoid lookout megaship]</ref>

The vessel was also apparently detected by a [[listening post]] orbiting Jotunheim 7 a, after it reactivated on its own in response to public broadcasts mentioning confirmation of the Thargoids' return in mid-3303 and emitted an encoded transmission. The listening post which picked up that transmission either contained or was an extension of Project Thunderchild Unit 01, a possibly semi-sentient program created by Project Thunderchild, another GalCop contingency to guard against the Thargoids. The program was seemingly designed to monitor Project Equinox and relay any Thargoid-related findings to GalCop authorities. It functioned exactly as intended, but was unaware that GalCop had ceased to exist over a century before.<ref>[https://canonn.science/codex/gcs-sarasvati/ Canonn Research Group: GCS Sarasvati]</ref>

== References ==
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[[Category:Lore]]
[[Category:Megaships]]
[[Category:Vessels]]
[[ru:GCS Sarasvati]]