LV426

LV-426 is a fictional natural satellite featured in the Alien science-fiction franchise. It is described as a moon orbiting a gas giant in the Zeta Reticuli star system, located in the vicinity of Earth’s galactic neighborhood in various continuities, with distances ranging in sources but commonly cited as about 39 light-years from Earth. The moon is depicted as a harsh, arid world with a thin atmosphere that permits human visitation with adapted life-support infrastructure.

In the original 1979 film, the crew of the commercial mining vessel Nostromo investigates a distress beacon on LV-426 and discovers a derelict alien spacecraft. Inside, they encounter the remains of an extraterrestrial pilot and eggs that release a parasitic organism. A facehugger impregnates a crew member, leading to the emergence of a lethal Xenomorph. The encounter triggers a catastrophic outbreak on the Nostromo, prompting a deadly confrontation between the crew and the alien threat.

The 1986 sequel expands the setting with a human colony, Hadley’s Hope, established on LV-426 near the derelict ship. When contact with the colony is lost, a rescue team and a contingent of Colonial Marines are deployed. They uncover a nested infestation of Xenomorphs and engage in combat with the creatures, ultimately resulting in the destruction of much of the colony and the death of many personnel, while Ripley survives and departs with the surviving Marines.

LV-426 has since appeared in various expanded media, including novels, comics, and video games, reinforcing its role as a central landmark within the Alien universe.