Zeta Gibraltar was a planetoid located in the orbit of the Gibraltar system, in the vicinity of the Vara Nebula, on the edge of the Alpha Quadrant, on an outlying tendril of Federation territory. It was home to Outpost Zeta Gibraltar and was the farthest full-time inhabited planet from Earth in Federation space.
History and specifics[]
Zeta Gibraltar's days were ten hours long. Its sky was purple. Atmospheric pressure was low, closer to that of Vulcan than Earth. Gravity was almost twenty percent higher due to a dense iron core so large it extruded through the surface in spots. There was a dilithium deposit deep beneath the crust. The highest form of life was a bush-like blue algae.
In the year 2270, a group of Excalbian refugees requesting political asylum in the Federation were brought to Zeta Gibraltar while their request was considered. During their stay, the outpost personnel and the Excalbians were captured by L'rah'hane pirates. They were rescued by the USS Enterprise and returned to Zeta Gibraltar, shortly before the arrival Representative Valek, who had been dispatched there to assess the Excalbians' suitability as Federation citizens. However, after weeks of waiting, the Excalbians decided to instead take possession of Zeta Gibraltar and declare themselves an independent state called New Excalbia, which Valek accepted. (TOS novel: Savage Trade)