Aspera is a small, mostly uninhabitable world that serves as a vital location in the novel Dead Space: Catalyst.
History
Aspera was initially selected as the location for a penal colony for political prisoners. This was due to its extremely remote location, and low level of natural resources, meaning there would be little, if any interest in exploring the world.
Eighty years after the Black Marker was exhumed from the Earth (2294), Aspera was chosen as the site of one of three new military installations to be used to investigate and recreate the Black Marker. The research facility was set up near the penal colony, so the prisoners could be used as test subjects, if need be.
Not more than a decade after the installation was created, Istavan Sato was transferred there after killing EarthGov politician Tim Fischer. Not too long afterwards, the Red Marker activated, and the destruction of the penal colony and the research station was imminent.
The penal colony was overrun by Necromorphs, with only Henry Wandrei surviving by locking himself in a control room. He was eventually "rescued" by Jensi Sato, Istavan's brother. They made their way to the research station, which, while infested with Necromorphs as well, also had a number of scientists and researchers who were still alive. There, Jensi and Henry, along with Dr. Callie Dexter confronted the Marker.
Jensi and Dexter found Istvan at the Marker chamber amongst the chaos, protected by the Red Marker's dead space. Jensi was forced to knock Dexter unconscious and kill his brother. He later commited suicide, realizing the futility of survival and erasing any information of the Red Marker stored in his mind. The fate of Aspera is currently unknown, although it was likely erased or destroyed by the Sovereign Colonies Armed Forces, similar to Aegis VII.