- "Our source inside the Lucian Alliance has come through. We've got the location of a planet that just might suit our power requirements. I mean, it's gonna take some doing. There's a mining outpost being run by a small..."
- ―Daniel Jackson[src]
P4X-351 was a planet in the Milky Way galaxy on which the Tau'ri outpost designated Icarus Base resided. The planet was 21 light years from Earth and had a uniquely powerful radioactive Naquadria core, which made it an ideal location for the Icarus project. The location of the planet was provided to the Tau'ri by an undercover operative within the Lucian Alliance. (SGU: "Air, Part 1", "Human")
History
In 2009, the George Hammond was sent to transport Dr. Nicholas Rush, Eli Wallace, Senator Alan Armstrong and Chloe Armstrong to Icarus Base on P4X-351 for an attempt to dial the Stargate's ninth chevron. The Stargate was not used to travel to the base because the planet contains a radioactive core made of Naquadria, which could possibly become unstable after the dialing of an incoming wormhole. This powerful core proved to be the only power source capable of dialing in the ninth chevron.
Attack
- Main article: Battle of Icarus Base
In 2009, a force of several Ha'tak motherships, Death Gliders, and Troopships attacked Icarus Base, prompting an evacuation. In the ensuing battle, Colonel David Telford engaged the attacking forces in an F-302 fighter-interceptor. In desperation, Dr. Nicholas Rush, with the help of Eli Wallace, figured out how to dial the nine-chevron address. Using Earth's point of origin, they cracked the code, and Rush dialed the Stargate to the Ancient vessel Destiny instead of Earth. The base's personnel were able to evacuate. It is unclear how Dr. Rush was able to dial the Gate's nine symbol address, because, Earth's point of origin should not have been located on the gate. The Icarus gate had its own point of origin, as seen when the team first attempted to dial the nine-symbol address. (SGU: "Air, Part 1")
When the base came under attack, the core of the planet destabilized, resulting in the complete destruction of the planet itself. The attacking forces (rumored to be the Lucian Alliance) failed to anticipate this outcome, resulting in the complete destruction of the attacking fleet. The George Hammond, which was defending the base from orbit, managed to locate all but approximately 80 of the Icarus base personnel and evacuate before the planet was destroyed. Colonel Samantha Carter reported that the remaining personnel who could not be accounted for were inside the base and could not be beamed out, however, readings indicated that the Stargate was active for six minutes before the planet's core went critical. It wasn't until Dr. Rush reported to Homeworld Command from Destiny via the Long-range communication device, that Lt. General Jack O'Neill and others learned that these people were safe, albeit stranded, aboard the ship. (SGU: "Air, Part 1")
Behind the scenes
- The Tau'ri designation of this planet was only referred to by name in a scene in the extended version of "Air, Part 2", in which Dr. Nicholas Rush brings it up in a conversation with Lt. General Jack O'Neill.
- Judging by P4X-351's distance to Earth, the planet's star is Gliese 892. (The binary system Xi Boötis also qualifies, but it is too young to host habitable planets.)
- Gliese 892 in real life has a system of 6 planets, however none of them are located in the habitable zone of the system and thus may not be able to host life.
- In the Stargate SG-1 episode "Prometheus Unbound" it was stated that the Prometheus could travel a distance of 50 light years in 20 minutes. If the distance between Earth and P4X-351 is indeed 21 light years, the entire trip should have taken less than 10 minutes, while in the episode it seemed to take at least hours if not days.