Starbase 3 is situated in close proximity to the Vestios system. In the year 2246, following an altercation with a Vestian ship, the USS Aldrin managed to reach Starbase 3 on auxilary power. (TOS novel: Burning Dreams) In 2269, the USS Enterprise docked at Starbase 3, after completing a massive benchmark survey in sector 3. (TOS novel: The Starless World) A few months later, Starbase 3 was the first Federation facility to receive a distress call from Outpost Hadrian, following an attack by the powerful super-computer, Nagha. (TOS - The New Voyages 2 short story: "The Sleeping God")