Gateway Station

Gateway Station
General information
Classification	Space Station
Location	Near Earth orbit
Chronological information
First appearance	Aliens

Gateway Station was an immense geosynchronous space station orbiting Earth in the late twenty-second century. It functioned primarily as a loading station for cargo being transported to and from Earth. Most space-based commercial organizations (including both the Interstellar Commerce Commission and the Extrasolar Colonization Administration) had representatives stationed on board.

Overview

The station was constructed almost entirely from advanced plastics. It contained extensive residential areas, and many crew and staff lived there permanently. A fleet of maintenance shuttles oversaw the upkeep of the station's external structure. Ellen Ripley briefly resided on Gateway in 2179 after being rescued from deep space, before she settled in an apartment on Earth.

Legally, pets were not allowed on the station, however an exception was made for Jones when he returned there with Ripley.

The United States AeroSpace Force maintained an Aerospace school for future USASF officers on the station. Elements of the United States Colonial Marine Corps's Marine Space Force, Sol were also stationed there.

History

At some point prior to 2179, the USS Sulaco was involved in a docking accident at Gateway Station that claimed the lives of five crew members, helping to cement the ship's already unfavourable reputation as an unlucky vessel.

In 2179, Warrant Officer Ellen Ripley was taken to Gateway Station after being rescued from 57 years of hypersleep aboard the shuttle Narcissus. Once aboard she was vigorously questioned by a board of executives from the ICC, the ECA and even the FBI regarding the destruction of her ship, the USCSS Nostromo. Her recounting of the vessels' encounter with the Alien was met with scepticism and she was consequently removed from flight status. As a result, she relocated to Earth and took up a new career as a dockyard Power Loader operator.

Gateway Station was also featured in the Aliens versus Predator video game, where the player Alien character must make their way through the station to an escape shuttle bound for Earth.

Behind the Scenes

Gateway was designed by production designer Peter Lamont and was realised in the film through a combination of matte painting and miniature model, the latter of which allegedly reused parts of the refinery being towed by the Nostromo in Alien.

Trivia

• A jungle encampment in the 2010 video game Aliens vs. Predator was also called Gateway Station, likely a reference to the space station in Aliens.

Appearances

• Aliens/novel (First Appearance)
• Aliens: Book Two
• Aliens: Earth War
• Aliens: The Alien
• Aliens: Nightmare Asylum
• Aliens: The Female War
• Aliens versus Predator (video game)
• Aliens versus Predator 2 (mentioned only)
• Aliens versus Predator 2: Primal Hunt
• Aliens: Infestation (mentioned only)