Whitson Orbital was once owned by the Independent Values Party, a political group within 339. After the Split between SE and Blue Creative, the IVP put up a lot of political pressure to try and halt the progress of Dr. Chapman's Corporation. They did this because of their opposing views on black market trading in 339. Dr. Chapman had in the past accused the IVP of 'under the table transactions with disreputable parties' and demanded that they close the black markets in their stations. Dr. Chapman however is an accomplished diplomat and spokes person and he did not take the IVPs pressure lying down. The media helped to inflame events all the more and eventually hostilities broke out between SE and IVP, spiralling finally into full blown civil war. These were dark times for LP 339-7 but SE corp threw the full weight of their corporation against the declining IVP party and won the war, taking control of Whitson Orbital in the process. Over the course of the next few months Starship Enterprises turned Whitson Orbital around, making it the principal trading post in the system. Dr. Chapman overhauled two subsidiary companies to incorporate into Whitsons infrastructure: the Terran Wild-life Project which clones species of Earth animals, and Galaxy Tours, Starship Enterprises sightseeing company. Tourist Beacon 0701