Apsaras I
Experimental base attack mobile armor developed by the Principality of Zeon.
The Apsaras I was an experimental base attack mobile armor developed by the Principality of Zeon as the first prototype in the Apsaras Project.
The name “Apsaras” was derived from “Apsara”, a female spirit of clouds and water in Hindu and Buddhist culture, reflecting the mobile armor’s ability to float through the atmosphere using its Minovsky craft system.
History
The Apsaras Project, approved by Degwin Sodo Zabi and led by Ginias Sahalin, was a project to construct a mobile armor capable of descending from the stratosphere and destroying the Earth Federation Forces headquarters, Jaburo, using a powerful mega particle cannon.
The Apsaras I was the project’s first prototype and its development focus was the Minovsky craft system. As such, it was unarmed, and the mega particle cannon at its centre was a dummy. However, it was capable of attacking by increasing the output of its Minovsky craft to generate a shockwave.
In October UC 0079, the Apsaras I, piloted by Aina Sahalin, completed its first test flight, marking the completion of the first phase of the Apsaras Project. However, during a subsequent test flight, it experienced a malfunction and was forced to descend in Federation-controlled territory, encountering the Federation’s 08th Mobile Suit Team in the process.
During the encounter with the 08th MS Team, the Apsaras I engaged the Federation mobile suits in combat. In order to protect Norris Packard’s Dopp, Aina rammed the Apsaras into Karen Joshua’s RX-79[G] Gundam Ground Type, then unleashed a powerful shockwave using its Minovsky craft system. Terry Sanders Jr. fired at the Apsaras using his Gundam Ground Type’s cannon, then jumped and attacked it with a beam saber. However, Aina was able to send Sanders’s unit flying back. Just as she was attempting to generate another shockwave, she was forced to retreat by the concentrated fire from the other two units of the team.
The Apsaras I later crash landed near a village. While it was being repaired, Zeon forces occupied the village, disallowing anyone to leave in order to keep the presence of the mobile armor a secret. After the repairs were finished, the Apsaras I took off. It was later fitted with a functional mega particle cannon, becoming the Apsaras II.
Design
The Apsaras I was designed as a proof-of-concept for the Minovsky craft system, which was the key technology for the entire Apsaras Project. The mobile armor featured a distinctive hemispherical design optimised for atmospheric flight and hovering capabilities.
The mobile armor was powered by a Minovsky type ultracompact fusion reactor with an output of 1,400 kW. Its propulsion system combined conventional rocket thrusters with the revolutionary Minovsky craft system.
The Apsaras I had a tandem-seat cockpit in its main body, accommodating both a pilot and copilot for the complex flight operations required during atmospheric testing.
Armaments
The Apsaras I’s armaments were limited to defensive systems and the Minovsky craft system’s secondary attack capability.
Dummy mega particle cannon
The Apsaras I mounted a dummy mega particle cannon at its centre, which was non-functional. This was included to test the physical integration of the weapon system with the Minovsky craft system, laying the groundwork for the armed Apsaras II.
Minovsky craft system energy pulse
The Apsaras I could raise the output of its Minovsky craft system momentarily to generate a shockwave that could be used as a means of attack. This was accomplished by rapidly increasing the density of Minovsky particles beneath the mobile armor, creating a powerful pressure wave capable of damaging nearby enemy units.
Minovsky craft system
The Minovsky craft system was a lift-generating system that allowed the Apsaras I to resist the pull of Earth’s gravity. When Minovsky particles were released into the air, the positive and negative particles spontaneously aligned themselves into a three-dimensional cubic lattice. Because of the repulsive and electrostatic forces between the particles, this lattice resisted compression, and the Minovsky craft system used this phenomenon to push the underside of the vehicle away from the planet’s surface.
This allowed the Apsaras I to float over Earth’s surface without the need for conventional aerodynamic surfaces or massive thrust requirements. The system was not installed on standard mobile suits due to its significant power requirements and size constraints.
Known pilots
Variants
Atmospheric entry test type
A variant appearing in the manga Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team U.C.0079 + α was used for collecting atmospheric entry data. It featured similarities with the Apsaras I, such as a hemispherical Minovsky craft system located at the bottom of its huge body. However, its upper body was that of a Zaku II, which functioned as an escape device in the event of an emergency with the Minovsky craft system during testing.
Behind the scenes
The Apsaras I was designed by Katoki Hajime for the OVA series Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team. The design represented a unique approach to mobile armor development, focusing on atmospheric flight capabilities rather than traditional space combat.
The name “Apsaras” has been officially localised as both “Apsaras” and “Apsalus”, with “Apsalus” being used in official subtitles and dubs and “Apsaras” being used in model kits. The name derives from “Apsara”, female spirits of clouds and water in Hindu and Buddhist culture.
Appearances
- Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team
- Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team U.C.0079 + α
See also
- Apsaras II
- Apsaras III
- Apsaras Project
- Minovsky craft system