starbase n.

an outpost in space, or on a planet remote from the homeworld, used to facilitate military, governmental, or commercial activities

Typically in the name of a specific base.

  • 1944 R. M. Williams Star Base X in Amazing Stories Sept. 32/1 page image Robert Moore Williams bibliography

    Star Base X! The thought thundered in Dawson’s mind. Just as Base X, in Labrador, served the needs of the plane communication between the United States and England, this Ahrned base aided them in their communication between the stars. That was why it was here, hidden away in this northland. It was a base facilitating star flight.

  • 1956 E. Cooper Question of Time in Fantastic Universe 114/2 page image Edmund Cooper bibliography

    At last, the work of demolition was completed. With the wrecking of the dormitory and living-unit, Star Base Three was completely razed to the ground.

  • 1968 S. E. Whitfield in S. E. Whitfield & G. Roddenberry Making of ‘Star Trek’ ii. iii. 204 bibliography

    Immediate higher headquarters is Star Base Command. There are seventeen star bases scattered across the small known portion of the galaxy.

  • 1985 B. Hambly Ishmael vii. 102 Barbara Hambly

    That hellish journey from Starbase Twelve to Alpha Eridani III.

  • 1992 P. David Imzadi ii. 16 Peter David bibliography

    He had in the beginning, back when he'd taken on the command of the starbase three years ago.

  • 1994 D. Kingsbury Heroic Myth Lieutenant Nora Argamentine in L. Niven et al. Man-Kzin Wars VI xviii. 174 Donald Kingsbury

    The Young Women’s Auxiliary needed twenty girls who were looking for a disciplined and rewarding experience at Barnard’s Starbase.

  • 1999 J. L. Chalker Sea Is Full of Stars 58 Jack L. Chalker

    The Ghomas likely won’t detect you, but if you use the cryogenic settings, you'll reach a Junction or Starbase or a known hospitable Realm world in due time.

  • 2000 J. A. Gardner Hunted v. 38 James Alan Gardner

    While I waited for the Outbreak Team to arrive from some other starbase, I used the captain’s vidscreen to watch outside the ship. I didn’t see much—nothing came or went at Starbase Iris, not even in-system shuttles. Once I noticed a merchant vessel passing within range of Willow’s hull cameras, but it didn’t come very close; it was aiming for the planet Celestia, a light-minute nearer the local sun.

  • 2005 E. Bear Hammered 76 Elizabeth Bear

    Contemplating that, Feynman wondered if there might be some way into Unitek through the servers hosting the VR game. Vast, quick, powerful—and maintained by Unitek I.S., although they were outside of the company firewall. And he was going to need to hack Phobos starbase anyway, and get a player character online there, so he could maintain contact with Leah—once she started her virtual pilot training.


Research requirements

antedating 1944

Earliest cite

R. M. Williams 'Star Base X'

Research History
Douglas Winston submitted a 1989 cite from Joe Clifford Faust's "Desperate Measures".
Douglas Winston submitted a 1992 cite from R.M. Meluch's "The Queen's Squadron".
Douglas Winston submitted a cite from an undated reprint of Jack Chalker's 1999 "The Sea is Full of Stars".
Douglas Winston submitted a cite from an undated reprint of James Alan Gardner's 2000 "Hunted".
Fred Galvin found a reference in the ISFDB to Robert Moore Williams' "Star Base X", and submitted cites for "star base" from the 1944 magazine publication of this story.
Douglas Winston submitted a 2005 cite from Elizabeth Bear's "Hammered".

Last modified 2023-05-31 10:49:40
In the compilation of some entries, HDSF has drawn extensively on corresponding entries in OED.