(Japanese: アルドノア・ゼロ, Hepburn: Arudonoa Zero) In an alternate 1972, during the Apollo 17 mission, an ancient alien artifact named the "Hypergate" (ハイパーゲート, Haipāgēto) was discovered on the surface of the Moon, allowing for near-instantaneous travel to and from Mars and the colonisation of Mars. After settlers discover additional alien technology on Mars be known as "Aldnoah" (アルドノア, Arudonoa), they unilaterally declare independence from Earth to found the Vers Empire. Later, the Vers Empire declares war on Earth in 1999 and a battle on the Moon's surface causes the Hypergate to explode, shattering the Moon and scattering the remnants of the Moon into a debris belt around Earth. Cut off from Mars, the remnants of the Vers Empire Forces establishes several massive orbital space stations within the debris belt and a ceasefire was established. 15 years later, in 2014, an attack on the First Princess of Vers during a diplomatic mission to Earth causes the Empire and its 37 clans of Orbital Knights (軌道騎士, Kidō Kishi) to launch a new attack on Earth, this time determined to conquer it once and for all.
