Clarke Station was the first space station capable of supporting human life for extended periods of time without external help. It was named for noted science fiction author Arthur C. Clarke. Its construction was completed in 2017. It was intended to be a prototype space station, but it was successful enough that it was a platform for scientific research for the next twenty years. Eventually, however, most research and industry migrated to later-generation stations or to the Lunar colony.
The station returned to prominence when it was chosen as the site of the in 2097. After the collapse of these negotiations, the station did not fall into disuse as it did before. The publicity associated with those negotiations made many other parties consider using the station for private negotiations of all kinds. The relative isolation and primitive communications technology of Clarke Station makes it ideal for such use. This use of the station continues until this day.