The year is 3050. A group of intergalactic explorers arrives in the constellation Crux to search for ilmenite.

This mineral is vital for building planetary bases. Ilmenite is a key source of iron and titanium for structural components, and oxygen can also be extracted from it.

Ilmenite is an opaque, iron-black mineral with a metallic or submetallic sheen. When reflected, it appears grey with a brownish tint. It is a brittle mineral, forming in thin, rhombohedral, tabular crystals.

Ilmenite was first discovered in lunar rocks in 2005; NASA used the Hubble Space Telescope to identify potentially rich locations.