Sector 2 / Cryosphere

The Cryosphere (also referred to as Sector 2 / Cryosphere) is the arctic environment on the Bottle Ship. Its name was revealed during a press release by Nintendo of Europe. It is described as being so cold that some entrances are blocked by ice. Samus is seen Speed Boosting through the area in the first trailer. Volfons, Gigafraugs, Himellas and one Groganch are seen here. Rooms in the sector include the Water Tank, the Sector Generator Room, the Experiment Floor, the Materials Storehouse and the Materials Transfer Lift. Adam authorizes Samus to use the Speed Booster and Wave Beam here while Samus' Gravity Feature auto-functions.

The sector also contained the entrance to Sector Zero. The trek there was difficult, because there were several rooms with zero or low gravity, making exploration confusing. The Nightmare had caused this, and was defeated by Samus.

Maurice Favreau is ordered to investigate the sector. Samus finds his body in the Experiment Floor.

Nintendo of Europe press release
"The Cryosphere, by contrast, is a cold, snowy environment where the temperature is so low that entrances are often blocked by ice."

Samus in the Cryosphere Drifts
"Sector 2 of the Bottle Ship was called the Cryosphere, and its sub-zero temperatures sustained many recognizable Zebesian life-forms. One was new to me - a massive creature with a spiderlike body that lobbed globes containing noxious gas. As I first encountered it in the Biosphere, it was obviously adapted to many environments."

Metroid.com
"Sector 2 of the BOTTLE SHIP is called the Cryosphere, a chilling place covered in snow drifts. Its sub-zero temperatures sustained many recognizable Zebesian forms."

Trivia

 * The Cryosphere may not have been at such an extreme climate; when Samus first enters the Cryosphere from the Main Sector, the computer warns that a malfunction has occured in the climate control system. While the Cryosphere may be an arctic area, it may have been mild enough to allow researchers to monitor the situation with minimal discomfort.
 * The Cryosphere may have originally been an aquatic area before the climate control malfunction, similar to Maridia and/or AQA.
 * Many of the mechanical areas in the sector were also likely maintained at or near room temperature before the climate controls failed.
 * In the first room of the super-gravity area, Samus is forced to walk on the ceiling. This may be a reference to a scene in the Metroid IV trailer, where Samus can be seen walking on the ceiling at one point.

Gallery
Cryosphere