A planet in the Horse Head Nebula.
Privately-chartered, the planet is owned by Noveria Development Corporation. The NDC is funded by investment capital from high technology development firms, and administrated by an Executive Board representing their interests.
The investors built remote hot labs in isolated locations across Noveria's surface. These facilities are used for research too dangerous or controversial to be performed elsewhere, as Noveria is technically not part of Citadel space and therefore exempt from Council law.
Locations
The "capital" is Port Hanshan. The port's security is infamously tight, in an effort to discourage dissent, espionage or outside interference. Unexpected visits are met with aggressive suspicion, and, even when permitted to land, the impounding of vessels is rigorously enforced.
Noveria also features the Skadi Mountains, where the isolated lab Peak 15 is situated, and the Aleutsk Valley, a pass between those mountains and Port Hanshan. Locales known to Noverian denizens include a resort at the equator that provides amenities like accredited asajura fields and caters to other leisure activities like bouncebacking and diving.
Post-Reaper War
The Aftermath: The best summary of that first year after the Crucible fired.
Bioengineered Fungus Discovered Growing in Noveria Wilderness
Noveria Announces Extranational Space Platform
ERCS Announces Expanded Horsehead Security Presence
The Wagstaff Affair, as CDN witnesses it.
Fallout from the Wagstaff Affair: Few come out of this one looking very good.
Was the Affair Staged?: The galaxy ponders what happened.