Secret Headquarters: JLA Satellite

First appearance: Justice League of America #78

History: The JLA Satellite; which sits at 22,300 miles above eartch, was built almost immediately after the League vacated the Sanctuary. The satellite would be the League's home for the next several years. Members are able to teleport to and from the satellite using teleportation centers located across the planet. League members took turns on watch duty, monitoring Earth from the satellite and dispatching the League as needed. This era of the Justice League (and its roster of heroes), is commonly referred to as the "Satellite League".

The satellite is heavily damaged and rendered effectively inoperable just prior to Aquaman's decision to disband the team in Justice League of America Annual # 2. The League was in a time of transition, not only in its choice of headquarters, but also in its membership. The deepening detachment of members such as Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman caused the three charter Justice League members to resign from active duty with the League. At the same time, the Flash left the team to confront his manslaughter trial and investigate the disappearance of his wife. The death of her mother led Black Canary to leave the team and move to Seattle with Green Arrow. Green Lantern had been temporarily expelled from the Green Lantern Corps and resigned from the League as well to sort out his life. The satellite meets its final and complete destruction during the Crisis on Infinite Earths, when it is destroyed by a self-destructing Red Tornado that had been sabotaged and tampered with by the Anti-Monitor. It is never rebuilt.

+ Level A — Observation Deck and Control Level: A transparent plasteel dome covered the observation deck. At the center of this deck was the central elevator shaft that connected all of the decks of the satellite. Around the perimeter were control panels monitoring the various functions of the satellite, including the Planetary Emergency Monitor System. At least one JLA member was always on duty here or at Level E at all times.

+ Level B — environmental Deck: This deck was modeled after a Colorado mountain landscape. A combination of artificial sunlight, natural sunlight, and a special ventilation system simulated breezes, rain, and even seasons. A series of pumps brought the lake water to the tops of mountain springs, which trickled into a stream that went over a waterfall and back into the shallow lake. Polarized plasteel walls with ultraviolet shielding and sensor-run liquid crystals blocked off light at timed intervals. Holographic animals added to the woodland mood.

+ Level C — Laboratory and Technical Level: This level contained the primary laboratories for the JLA. The laboratories on the outer ring were used for the most dangerous experiments, because they were more easily isolated. The central computer room was located here, housing the Central Processing Unit of a STAR Labs Kilotrax Computer. The auxiliary Storage banks were located on Level E. The Transmatter Cube, used to bridge the gap between dimensions, was in the technical lab.

+ Level D — Museum and Ancillary Facilities: The think tanks were used for relaxation and included a zero gravity chamber, notation tanks, and an environmental chamber. The museum had souvenirs from past JLA campaigns, pictures of heroes who the JLA had worked with, etc.

Level E— Master and Central Control Room: This level was the nerve center of the satellite. Every function of the ship was monitored and controlled from here. The main banks of the Planetary Emergency Monitor System, and the primary storage banks of the Kilotrax computer were here. However, since the view of space was breathtakingly beautiful through the plasteel dome covering Level A, that set of monitor equipment was preferred by most JLA members on monitor duty. A series of Gravity Locks enabled passage of cargo and personnel from this level to the rings.

Levels F & G — Apartment Levels: The apartments on both levels were basically built for humanoids of approximately human size, but could easily be adapted for a wide range of alien life forms.   There were also apartments in the ring for a large influx of temporary guests that the JLA might have, such as times when the Justice Society of America or the Teen Titans visited the satellite.

Level H — Dining, Library, and Gym: The walls in this section were soundproofed so that the noise from the gym area would not interfere with anyone studying in the library. There were also vapor screens on all entrances to the library, keeping the humidity from the swimming pool (and from the sauna on Level I) from damaging the books. The pool was filled with non-chlorinated sea water, kept clean by niters and a mixture of chemicals that would not interfere with Aquaman's respiratory system.

Level I — Library, Gym, and Sauna: The walls on this floor, like the walls on Level H, were soundproofed and vapor screened for the sake of the library. The pool maintenance machinery was on this section. A shooting range was provided, and was kept in almost constant use by Green Arrow.

Levels J & K — Utilities Levels: The Emergency Power System had batteries that could run the satellite at a normal level for three days, or at emergency levels for ten days. They were recharged once a month by a Solar Energy Collecting Sail.

Level L — Teleportation Machinery Room: The smallest level of the satellite, this room housed the machinery for the teleportation beam used to transport personnel from the satellite to the planet and vice versa. Four Satellite Spokes These provided access to the rings from the Central Core of the satellite. Two of the Spokes provided manual access by way of Gravity Locks. An elevator ran the diameter of the rings through the other two Spokes. The Outer Ring The laboratories in the outer ring were used for more dangerous experiments. This is probably where Green Arrow constructed his Atomic Warhead Arrow.