Starbase Rapture is located in asynchronous orbit high above the planet Khitomer. Khitomer is a class-M planet near the Romulan/Klingon border
Khitomer was the site of the historic Khitomer peace conference in 2293 that was the beginning of the rapprochement between the United Federation of Planets and the Klingon Empire. In response to the Federation Council's condemnation of his invasion of Cardassia in 2372, Gowron unilaterally withdrew the Klingon Empire from the Khitomer Accords.A Klingon outpost was later established on Khitomer and was the target of the brutal Khitomer Massacre by the Romulans in 2346. This brutal attack by Romulan forces on the Klingon outpost killed some 4,000 Klingons. It was later learned that the massacre was made possible by the betrayal of Ja'rod, a Klingon who provided secret defense access codes to the Romulans. The only two survivors of the massacre were rescued by the USS Intrepid which responded to the Klingon distress calls.
The planet Khitomer is actually well in Federation space but is owned by the Klingon Empire (much the same way that Japan owns property in the USA). The strong and cooperative presence of the Federation manifests itself as the Rapture Starbase in orbit, the Federation Marine training center, Fort Meade, on the planets surface and the many Federation private business owners, visitors and residence that reside in the Klingon colony cities.
Starfleet Starbase 24 was the closest Starbase to
the planet Khitomer prior to the Khitomer Massacre of 2346.
In 2389 Starbase 24 was deemed inadequate and
out-of-date. The level of upgrade required to put it back into service were not in
proportion to the importance of it's strategic location. Starfleet decided to address both
issues in 2390 by moving the starbase into orbit of the planet Khitomer and giving it the
needed upgrade and christened it as Starbase Rapture. Although Rapture still contains one of the most
advanced medical facilities in Starfleet, Rapture is no longer limited to medical missions.
Today Rapture serves as a neutral center for representatives from the Federation, Ferengi, Klingon, and Cardassian governments. The station services merchants, traders, visitors and diplomats from all these governments.