The Horus belt alpha is the first asteroid belt from the sun of the Horus system, United Empire of Earth (UEE). It is the most active center of mining operations in the system, providing Serling (Horus I) with materials that cannot be extracted planetside without threatening the delicate balance of its environment. In 2911, a small mining outpost set up on one of the belt's larger asteroids had a defective filter installed during construction which led to the presence of a constant pall of dust that caused long-term respiratory problems in its inhabitants. A court case following this incident against the filter's manufacturer forced an industry-wide overhaul in regulations compliance.