Colonies range from small scientific outposts of a half-dozen researchers, to settlements of a few hundred thousand inhabitants.

We can assume Phoenix was a soft target; a scientific or geological outpost; something on which the rest of the colony wasn't materially dependent.

Only when this is complete can further pressurized research modules be attached to complete the scientific outpost.

It is located on the far side of the moon and acts as a scientific and industrial outpost.

It could be a simple scientific outpost, a large base with permament habitation, a big station to mine the mineral resources, or something else.

There will be a few scientific outposts, perhaps, but the outer system is too cold and dark and energy poor.

During the second International Polar Year, a weather station established on the island was the northernmost scientific outpost in the world.

Develop mining, a scientific outpost, in-situ life support as quickly as possible.

This was just a lonely scientific outpost till the Starkadian resettlement.

Robotic survivors of a scientific outpost established by another Andromedan species.