Pre-Warp History

Detailed here are notable events of human history beginning at the dawn of the digital computation age and ending with the invention of the warp drive. Dates are listed in the Foundation Age calendar, year 0 of which was established as the year of the first successful warp flight. Years are also provided in the Clerical Calendar, the calendar that was actually in use when these events occurred.

Background - The world’s nations of the year -200 of the Foundation Age

In -200 FA, the many nations of the planet Home are split into two notable groups separated by distance and ideology. These opposing sides will soon form into two distinct factions to combat one other politically, economically, and militarily. A variety of other non-aligned nations spread across the planet eventually come to play their own important roles as well.

On part of the western continent is the Entente, a political partnership between like-minded countries. They are industrious people run by authoritarian meritocracy. Encompassing a relatively small area of the world, these nations strive for efficient exploitation of any natural resources they can lay claim to. Valuable assets like farmland and mineral rights are appropriated to private companies by the various governments, but citizens have a say in these decisions and are able to vote on what corporate entities hold ownership of these resources. It is the responsibility and duty of these citizens to remain informed on the current economic landscape, a right ingrained into their cultural upbringing. Corporations are forced to effectively exploit their given resources as well as remain in good standing with the populace, else they lose their rights.

Across the eastern continent is a more diverse collection of nations spread across a larger area; these powers are referred to as the Alliance. Less coherent in political structure, these nations share a general ideology of free market capitalism, personal freedom, and a competitive nature. The region contains a wide distribution of all types of natural resources; not just farmland, forests, and fossil fuels but national parks and protected wildlife regions. The corporations here have a variety of commercial enterprises to pursue and the freedom to do so.

Finally, spread throughout the world are a diverse assortment of other countries that remain isolated in one way or another from the main power groups. These nations have their own ways of life but nevertheless find ways to coexist with the world powers and each other to varying degrees of prosperity. Many of these nations will eventually form their own unofficial group known as the Coalition.

History

Year -230 to -210 FA – (1940s C.C.)

• The transistor is invented, a fundamental component of electronics.

• The first large-scale rockets are launched. The technology is used to develop the first missiles, but with the world currently at peace, much of the focus is shifted to the space sector.

• Jet propulsion technology begins to widely replace piston engines in military and commercial aviation.

• The first satellite is launched into orbit by an Alliance nation, but the mission is classified and unknown to the general public. An Entente country publicly launches their own satellite, and claims to be the first.

During this time nuclear fission is studied for its theorized potential as both a devastating weapon and reliable source of power generation. However the complexities of nuclear science prevent the development of such technology, and advancements within the field stall; induced nuclear fission will not be achieved for almost another century.

Without a significant deterrent, large-scale all-out war between world superpowers looms as an ever-present threat.

Year -210 to -200 FA – (1950s C.C.)

• Integrated circuits are developed, a crucial advancement in computer technology.

• The first human is launched into orbit, a man named Selvistie Chrin from an Entente nation. The Entente has little time to celebrate, as Selvistie’s spacecraft depressurizes upon reentry. He is commemorated throughout the continent. The Alliance launches two men aboard a spacecraft the following year, who return safely.

• First anti-satellite test is undertaken, by the Alliance. The destroyed satellite was a suspected spy satellite of an Entente nation. The political fallout is markedly tense.

• First space probes launched to the outer solar system.

• First manned landings on Moon. Political tensions and resources strained by military requirements delay the first operation for several years, but it is a joint effort between Alliance powers that achieves the first successful touch down. The Entente will not achieve their own manned landing until the beginning of the next decade.

Year -200 to -190 FA – (1960s C.C.)

• The first commercial digital video games are distributed as large cabinet machines.

• The first universal networks are brought online, creating the uninet.

• The first kinetic weapon platform is placed into orbit, designed to fire metal rods at large ground targets. Its near-polar orbit takes it within range of every location on the planet.

• Numerous kinetic weapon platforms are launched by all nations. These platforms quickly accumulate ASAT satellites in their orbit launched by adversaries, with the specific function of destroying the weapon platforms in the event of war.

• First manned space stations. They contain defensive armaments used to combat anti-satellite weaponry.

• First unmanned landings on other planets by exploratory probes.

• Energons, only a theorized particle up to this point, are analyzed in the high atmosphere of Jovia by the Reneva probe. Energons will form the basis of energy weapons in the future, but at this time their potential is unknown.

Impending War

By the -180s, political tensions are on the rise between the nations of the Entente and the Alliance. Attempts at an increasingly globalized economy are marred by conflicting interests and economic structures, along with national elitism and other political tensions. The nations of each group form stronger bonds internally, while their external relationships wane. Both sides contain countries within their spheres of influence that the other attempts to subdue.

Meanwhile the first inhabited Moon base is established in -182, marking humanity’s first step in the colonization of space. The base, named Drasdé, is created by members of the Entente and intended for habitation for up to a year, with potential for mission extensions. The first crew that had arrived in -182 departed the following year; the second crew arrived several months later in -180. This crew would end up staying far longer than anticipated.

Year -190 to -180 FA – (1970s C.C.)

• The widespread dependence on non-renewable energy continues to draw concern for its long-term unsustainability and potential to accelerate climate change. Efforts to discover how to harness nuclear energy are renewed but no breakthrough is made.

• Personal computers begin to proliferate through the consumer market.

• First genetically modified vegetables are grown.

• First manned Moon base is established by the Entente powers. The first wave of scientists complete their mission and return home. The second wave arrives shortly after.

• The Entente destroys a recently launched Alliance weapons platform after several weeks of intense political disagreements.

• The Last Great War begins in -180 FA.

By -180, escalating political tensions and proxy conflicts between the Entente and Alliance powers boil over into all-out war, the might of their technologies brought to bear. Though war had been brewing for decades and was seen as inevitable by many, the spark is the destruction of a recently launched space-based Alliance weapon system. The goal of either side is not necessarily conquest, but a complicated mix of economic and political subjugation. Both sides see the world growing ever smaller with room only for their way of life.

Retaliatory strikes commence and within hours, hundreds of satellites are destroyed in an event called the Kessler Cascade. Military satellites, including kinetic weapon platforms and communication relays, are targeted and destroyed by widespread ground-based and space-based anti-satellite systems, and the two manned space stations of the time (one each of the Entente and the Alliance) are destroyed along with their inhabitants. The destruction results in runaway cascades as debris impacts other satellites, creating more debris. Nevertheless, some restraint from both sides against civilian and ineffectual military targets ensures the planet does not become completely entombed. Only a handful of orbital bombardment platforms actually manage to fire at targets, as the hesitation in their usage allows the enemy the chance to destroy them.

The war would end up lasting for many years with a somewhat waveform pattern of activity as the two sides would build up offensive capability before taking losses faster than they could be replenished. The human cost itself was notably lower than wars of the past; long-range capabilities combined with effective countermeasures managed to minimize human casualties, though this perhaps allowed the war to continue for longer than it might otherwise have.

State-of-the-art weaponry throughout the war is jet aircraft, long-range missiles, aircraft carriers, and submarines, all equipped with the best electronics currently developed. Significant advancements are made in all tech sectors including new developments such as night vision and stealth technology. GPS is notably absent for the entire war due to the destruction of all military satellites and the impossibility of launching new ones.

Meanwhile, many of the nations who were part of what was known as the Coalition were taking a stance of neutrality, and its members were even assisting both sides of the war in numerous ways. Both warring powers were eager to use the various neutral nations as peaceful proxy safe havens for valuables such as money and hardware.

Drasdé Base

Drasdé base was the first ever manned Moon base, established by the Entente powers. Its second rotation of crew had arrived in -180 just months prior to the outbreak of the war, and the circumstances of the hostilities meant the Entente could not support the base. Space launches were dangerously vulnerable during wartime, especially with limited launch corridors through the new orbital debris clouds.

The current crew on Drasdé was to make do with the supplies and equipment they had before they would eventually be forced to return to Home under threat of destruction by the Alliance. The Entente attempted to proctor a peaceful means of supplying the crew or returning them safely, but an agreement with the Alliance could not be reached as the base had military capabilities with the potential to weaponize payloads and launch them at targets on Home.

This discourse lasted until a group of Coalition nations stepped in as intermediary to proctor a deal between both sides, involving the demilitarization and declassification of the base and its operations in exchange for the right to resupply and even augment it. New waves of scientists from countries throughout the Coalition arrived at the base as long-term inhabitants, their operations indirectly funded by the profitability of the war they watched from the outside.

Year -180 to -170 FA (1980s C.C.)

• The war lasts throughout the entire decade.

• Wireless uninet, already prevalent throughout the military sector, begins to proliferate through the consumer market.

• A large number of social technologies are introduced to the wider consumer market including digital video discs (DVDs), handheld and household gaming devices, handheld music players, and mobile telephones. These lead to cultural shifts in a civilian population overshadowed by a large-scale war, particularly with the younger generation, who find solace in the bolstering entertainment industry.

• Drasdé base reaches 40 inhabitants. Experiments in low-gravity manufacturing and the applications of Moon regolith are carried out, the results of which are openly communicated in public formats.

The End of the Last War

The many years of war had a continuous deteriorating effect on the conditions for the weakening belligerents. War exhaustion began to set in on both sides as small gains were made at great operational cost, and the war began to feel pointless to those who had once supported it. Hostilities lasted in total for over a decade; while open warfare was not constant, border disputes, political conflicts, racism, and vengeance all played roles in continued hostilities.

Finally, in -168 FA one of the major Coalition nations became the official ground for the formal peace treaty between the Entente and the Alliance, bringing an end to the Last Great War. In a now famous speech, the leader of the Citizen’s Republic of Merset brought to attention the prosperity of Drasdé base which now housed over 40 permanent inhabitants, calling for a time of unity and new efforts in space development.

Weakened economically and industrially, the two other major powers formalize their cooperative alignments. The western powers of the Entente established the United Cespanian Republic, pronouncing their unified goals while accentuating the power and influence of their political structure. The eastern Alliance powers formed the Federal States of Apollonia, reflecting their attitude towards individualist autonomy. In response, and with the political complexities of war behind them, many countries of the Coalition formed the Fellowship of Nations, intending to give their collective an air of decentralized friendly unity, not tied to any location or political ideal.

These three national collectives comprised at the time only around 65% of the nations of Home, though a large majority of its economic power. A variety of individualist nations nevertheless persisted and even prospered well into the interplanetary age.

Year -170 to -160 FA (1990s C.C.)

• A ceasefire is signed by the Entente and Alliance, formally ending the Last Great War.

• The United Cespanian Republic (UCR) is formed.

• The Federal States of Apollonia (FSA) are established.

• The Fellowship of Nations (Fellowship) is founded.

• Computers continue to be exponentially miniaturized. These advancements are military-focused but make their way to the consumer market.

• A reliable method for producing graphene is discovered.

• Mobile phones surpass landlines as the primary telecommunications method.

• The first reused rocket is launched.

• Numerous orbital cleanup operations are undertaken to remove debris from valuable orbits.

• Significant advancements are made in the manufacturing capabilities of Drasdé base.

• The Shaded Galaxy is discovered during a SETI skysweep, which remains to this day the only indisputable proof of another intelligent civilization. This discovery has a profound existential impact on culture at the time, but as there is nevertheless no potential for any interaction, the presence of the galaxy is largely left out of mind.

Early Interplanetary Age

At the dawn of what would become known as the Interplanetary Age, peacetime technology lurched forward by what had recently been wartime secrets. Mobile telephones and laptop computers become widespread throughout civilian life. The UCR and the FSA are connected by fiber optic cables, allowing for rapid uninet interactions and a free flow of information.

The three major powers set about achieving numerous peacetime goals, one of which was the pursuit of space colonization and exploitation. Drasdé base, established by what was now the UCR (formerly the Entente) but heavily augmented by the Fellowship (formerly the Coalition), is renamed Drasdé City and formally becomes a joint operation between the two powers.

The space directorate of the FSA (formerly the Alliance) instead focuses on orbital infrastructure, constructing manned space stations in orbit of both Home and eventually Moon with the intent to easily resupply Drasdé, but more importantly for itself to later stage and supply its own personal Moon-based excursions. Its focus on Drasdé is a largely political move; the UCR, seeking to maintain total independence from Apollonia, wishes to continue supplying its Moon base directly from Home, but the Fellowship advocates for the triple partnership, forcing the UCR’s hand. The UCR sets about making industrialization their primary goal, utilizing the services of the FSA stations for the return of goods for their personal benefit. The Fellowship has hopes that such cooperation will bring the two societies closer, but it proves only to increase bitterness and rivalry. This political maneuvering will continue for decades.

Year -160 to -150 FA (2000s C.C.)

• A cultural and economic boon follows the war cleanup as civilians and their industries celebrate their new freedoms and opportunities for prosperity.

• Social media and media sharing sites become rapidly popular across the uninet.

• GPS systems are fully reestablished and connected to civilian markets.

• The first manned space station since the war gets its first crew, an FSA station that acts as a staging and servicing waypoint between Drasdé city and the gravity well of Home.

Year -150 to -140 FA (2010s C.C.)

• Neural networks are significantly developed. Computers are able to generate photorealistic videos and mimic human interactions digitally.

• The largest ground-based telescope array ever constructed on Home is completed. All future major telescope systems are based in space or on other worlds.

• There are noticeable increases in extreme weather events such as extreme temperature waves, tropical storms, flooding events, droughts, and wildfires.

• A plethora of exploration probes are launched to the other planets in the Home system. These probes fulfill a variety of scientific objectives.

• First dedicated manned space station in orbit of Moon, another FSA station. It provides efficient connection operations between the other station in low Home orbit.

• Virtual reality (and entertainment designed for it) starts to become commonplace. It helps those living on Moon and in orbit to deal with their prolonged isolation, and there is a notable increase in mental health and stability.

• First manned FSA base established on the surface of Moon.

• Lab-grown meat is approved for sale to consumers, but is exorbitantly expensive.

Year -140 to -130 FA (2020s C.C.)

• First asteroid (designated TJH-2035205, or “TJ”) redirected to close Home orbit for material harvesting. The age of asteroid mining begins.

• The first economical 100 terabyte hard drive hits the consumer market.

• The population of Moon surpasses 500.

• Electric vehicle production surpasses that of gasoline.

• Renewable energy production surpasses that of fossil fuels globally.

• Human gene editing becomes viable for the uppermost class of society, but is initially extremely controversial and banned by many nations.

• First sample return probes launched to the outer system.

• Fully-autonomous automobiles and aircraft governed by machine-learned simulated intelligences start to become commonplace.

• First privatized space station launched into orbit as a space hotel for the ultra-wealthy.

Year -130 to -120 FA – (2030s C.C.)

• Efforts are made to launch the first crewed mission to Mairn but are marred by continuous delays. The initial launch date was -129.

• First rudimentary neural interfaces become commercially viable; these devices are surgically and permanently implanted into a user’s brain. They are almost as controversial as gene editing.

• The first Home-based single-stage-to-orbit (SSTO) vehicle is successfully launched.

• Prominent politicians call for action against rampant deforestation and other environmental damage, most notably criticism of the UCR by the FSA.

• Advancements are made in zero-gravity manufacturing that permit the mass production of carbon allotropes like carbon nanotubes and graphene. Combined with material harvested from Moon and asteroids, this permits revolutionarily cheap construction of strong lightweight spacecraft.

• A fleet of ocean-bound city-ships are constructed and launched by trillionaire entrepreneur Lan Oushe. These operate in international waters as permanent communal societies independent of world governments. They have laboratories for growing meat, vegetables, and fruit, and operate on renewable energy.

• Electric aircraft start to replace those powered by fossil fuels.

• First child both conceived and born on Moon, as part of an approved project. Such a process had been prohibited up to this point due to concerns related to fetal health. The population of Moon surpasses 2000 the same year.

• Moonbeam is completed on Moon, the largest telescope ever constructed up to that point.

Year -120 to -110 FA (2040s C.C.)

• Gene editing, though still heavily regulated, starts to become more acceptable. It is notably used to assist the permanent colonists of Moon in adapting to the conditions of life there.

• Revenue of computer-generated media surpasses that written or produced by people.

• A new style of building construction becomes widely popular that incorporates renewable energy sources and laboratory food production to create small-scale self-sufficiency. This trend leads to towns springing up in isolation, along with skyscrapers in the middle of long established cities disconnecting themselves from energy grids and supply chains. These structures typically have SIs incorporated into all of their operations.

• The global human population plateaus at close to 10 billion.

• Contai, an FSA Moon habitation colony, surpasses Drasdé to become the most populous Moon colony.

• The asteroid mining industry grows by over 1200% in this decade. There are now numerous companies conducting such operations in orbit of both Home and Moon.

• The number of currently operational probes, landers, and other spacecraft beyond the orbit of Home surpasses 1000.

• After countless delays, the Mairn Mission is officially canceled. It is being restructured to suit potential new technological developments.

Nuclear Power

Up to this point, artificial nuclear fission had never been achieved in any experiments. The complexities of chemistry and physics had stonewalled every attempt humanity had ever made to generate a sustained nuclear reaction. But in -108 FA, a branch of UCR laboratories had finalized solutions to the problem, and conducted the first series of successful nuclear tests in human history.

The most direct application of such a technology was for weapons, a powerful explosive device more deadly than any that had yet been devised. However orbital kinetic droprods had been an established technology for several decades by this point, already acting as a war deterrent for a world that was nevertheless growing ever-more dependent on its many moving parts. Additionally a bombardment by these droprods could deliver greater amounts of destructive force than a nuclear weapon, without the associated radiation of nuclear products or the cost of making and servicing weapons-grade nuclear material. These platforms could still be easily neutralized by ASAT satellites, and indeed this had been the case for the Last War, but this was not a reliable enough solution to negate them as a factor.

The UCR instead focused their nuclear developments on the far more practical application of nuclear thermal rocket technology, where the nuclear reaction is used to heat propellant for spacecraft propulsion. Even the most basic application of this propulsion method was radically more efficient than the most refined chemical reaction of the time.

The UCR was the first nation to utilize nuclear thermal rockets (NTRs) and in -102 FA constructed the first ever torchship. Up to this point, travel to different planets had taken months to years and was only possible for certain windows of time or with particular planetary alignments, as fuel costs were such an inhibitor. The first NTR built by the UCR cut a 9-month trip to the nearest world down to just several weeks. This brought the other worlds considerably within reach, with the UCR at the forefront of the effort, and by -95 FA they had established a private colony on Mairn.

This technology made the other world powers nervous as it had the potential to carry the UCR far beyond the others, running away with the solar system. With the theoretical capabilities proven, there had been a race between all three major powers to successfully develop the technology, knowing its potential for the pursuit of space exploitation. One major and very prominent nuclear physicist in the UCR, Jaque Furouch, had recognized the looming development and feared the potential domination the UCR would be capable of.

Despite nationalist pride, Furouch recognized the importance that equal footing played in peace and prosperity and leaked top-secret nuclear data to the other powers in order to ensure they were not far behind in their nuclear developments. It was due in large part to his efforts that within only six years of the UCR’s first successful torchship flight, the other two powers had developed their own NTR spacecraft. As this development was revealed, the UCR became outwardly furious with the perceived betrayal. The time period marks an uptick in tense rivalry between the major powers.

Year -110 to -100 FA (2050s C.C.)

• Population on Moon surpasses 5000. Population of permanent space station residents numbers around 270.

• Handheld real-time MRI scanners enter the consumer market.

• Nuclear fission technology is successfully achieved.

• Nanofabricated materials like carbon nanotubes, aerogels, and nanofabrics form a large component of basic consumer products, many produced in space.

• Several city-ship colonies on the open ocean, along with self-sufficient land-based communities, start to vy for independence from world governments, seeking to isolate themselves from major political influence, free themselves from taxes, and maintain business operations within the mainland. These efforts are opposed by most established political groups.

• First magnetic launch system completed on Moon to launch mineral exports into orbit.

• Construction begins on the world’s first nuclear reactors for energy production. This technology will supplement the rapidly expanding green energy market.

• Planning begins for a Moon space elevator.

• The first manned torchship is launched for near-Home trials.

• First unmanned torchship arrives at Mairn, an automated ship and test of the technology carrying supplies for the UCR base which was to soon receive its first crew.

• Cultures, peoples, and languages are becoming more homogeneous throughout the world. Many distinct languages of smaller nations are becoming secondary. These shifts are due to several generations of parents living in a digital-based globalized society.

The Final Century

By the turn of the last century pre-Foundation, the solar system was teeming with activity. Computer technology had advanced dramatically, with exponential leaps in memory storage and processing power. Automated probes and landers had been dispatched to every planet and major moon in the system, and automated asteroid redirect missions were now regularly pushing valuable asteroids into Home and Moon orbit for mining and processing. Society was growing ever-more accustomed to independence and isolation as self-sufficiency became more practical and virtual life became more integrated. Meanwhile, a profound discovery on a new planet was about to re-shape the entire course of human history.

By -100 FA, disruptive cultural shifts are beginning to have a noticeable worldwide effect. The continued digitization of society has restructured how people live, work, and interact. Large isolated communities, fully self-sustainable, are seeking to break free from the bondage of world governments which younger generations see as old-fashioned. Nonetheless, the UCR, FSA, and Fellowship all still hold a firm grasp on the world and its economy, and are in complete control of space industry. Private contractors form a large portion of space-based operations such as mining of asteroids and on Moon, but these operations are still overseen by government entities. Real completely privatized space-based operations cannot compete with the budget and efficiencies of these government operations.

Moon’s population now numbers in the thousands spread over dozens of outposts across the surface, with numerous stations in orbit. Avenue Station, the progenitor of the original FSA Moon station, is now an assorted variety of orbital facilities in a shared orbit. Storehouses, fuel depots, servicing bays, habitation centers, manufacturing plants, and laboratories share the designated common Moon orbit for its convenience and capabilities. Drasdé is a bustling city, mostly underground, acting as a staging area for surface excursions and a testbed for large-scale space habitation.

With other space colonization technologies already well developed for moon and orbital space, the most significant barrier to the colonization of the wider system had been the time needed for travel, not just for the inhabitants but for supplies and any other emergency assistance. With the newly developed nuclear thermal rocket, that final barrier was breached. Ships could now rapidly transit between other planets at any time of the year, without concern for efficient transfer orbits or rare alignments.

The first target was obvious, the planet Mairn, a world humanity had dreamed of visiting since the idea of traveling space was first conceived. Mairn at this time is a rocky world similar to Home, much colder, with a relatively thick carbon dioxide atmosphere protected by a strong magnetic field. It was the perfect location for humanity to begin their colonization of new planets, but a discovery made there would change their entire outlook on the endeavor.

Elemental Variants and Silocan

Elemental variants are different forms of known elements, comprising a third dimension to the periodic table. They can have their own unique properties that diverge from the baseline element. Variants had been known to science for millennia, at first considered their own unique materials but later reclassified as advancements were made in atomic chemistry. Many variants are of little relative worth as their divergent properties make them less desirable than the original. However, some are highly sought after as they have the potential for enhanced applications beyond that of their original counterparts.

Read more: Material Science

Silium is one such example, a valuable variant of silicon and perhaps the most crucial discovery of the early interplanetary age, even more so than nuclear power. Standard silicon itself is a ubiquitous component of many technologies at this time, including advanced semiconductor electronics which comprise a key component of the most powerful computers. Silium has less resistance than silicon and maintains this higher conductivity at somewhat higher temperatures than standard silicon, making it an unequivocal improvement over the original for semiconductor applications.

In -96 FA, UCR prospectors on Mairn first discovered and identified silium within the rock of the landscape. Just as all industrial pure silicon comes from rock, silium too had to be extracted from minerals. The variant was still somewhat rare, only present in rocks from certain regions, being sensitive to geological conditions over time.

The UCR attempted to keep the discovery a secret for as long as possible; nevertheless, it did not take long for the other nations to be clued in that some profound discovery had been made which had redirected the UCR’s interests, who had delayed their next major resupply in favor of an overhauled mission profile for their Mairn colony. As details leaked, the remainder of the decade saw a mad scramble to establish mining and processing infrastructure across Mairn to most efficiently extract silium. New orbital satellites were developed specifically for prospecting efforts.

The silium revolution had a profound effect on the course of human space travel. The material could be substituted for standard silicon in virtually all existing semiconductor and other technologies, permitting an explicitly more efficient version with essentially no R&D required. With this discovery on Mairn, there was speculation on what other profound market-shaping discoveries might be hidden throughout the rest of the system waiting to be discovered.

Prospecting was worked in as a requirement for future space probe projects across the system. For the UCR, the space missions agency was a branch of the military, their focuses easily aligned. The mission integration proved more difficult for the FSA who’s space agency was civilian-based and intended to remain relatively isolated from classified military operations; directives had to be hastily re-written and ratified. The Fellowship had an even more difficult time, as their agency was the most bogged down in bureaucracy, needing the cooperation of a variety of independent free-thinking nations.

Year -100 to -90 FA (2060s C.C.)

• The first colony is established on Mairn, by the UCR.

• Silium is discovered on Mairn, a powerful variant of silicon found within the planet’s landscape. Attempts to keep the variant a secret fail. The discovery has a profound effect on space industry as agencies rush to both harvest silium and seek out other variants on other worlds.

• An automated torchship returns the first batch of silium to Home.

• First FSA torchship is launched, a manned vessel for Mairn colonization.

• On Home, the vast majority of energy is now produced by renewables. The few remaining fossil fuel plants inhabit economic niches.

• Bio-implants and basic gene editing are now being used to adapt humans to extreme environments on Home to open up new locations for populating. A new independent country is established on the frozen southern continent by humans adapted for life there.

• In the wake of the revelations surrounding the nuclear spy Furouch, the UCR cancels a variety of contracts with the Fellowship. The UCR hastens relocation of its citizens from Drasdé City.

• Floating cities are becoming an economical way of life for the upper middle class, as more cities are launched and operate autonomously on renewable energy and lab-grown food. World governments are scrambling to find ways to maintain influence on these communities in international waters, many of which are harboring a growing anti-government rhetoric and boast modest economic capabilities.

• The Fellowship of Nations starts to show considerable political strains. Its members have been unable to agree on a Mairn mission profile, and tensions with the UCR have weakened it economically. Meanwhile its still mostly autonomous members are suffering from their own issues such as political strain from breakaway communities within their land borders seeking independence.

• Silium begins to filter into military and space technology. Computer systems that had once been at their maximum with stagnated performance are now immediately enhanced.

• Over the course of the decade, eight torchships are christened, all for travel to Mairn. They are notably expensive even in the current space industry; most of the funding comes from a push to rapidly expand a space presence and industrialize the new planet.

• The Ecology New project is launched, an initiative to repair biospheres on Home damaged by a wide array of human activities.

Year -90 to -80 FA (2070s C.C.)

• Biological augmentations are rapidly gaining predominance in civilian life. It is commonplace in some places that entirely healthy limbs are replaced with artificial replacements that have notable augments for strength, dexterity, and durability.

• Mairn outposts are further expanded with a strong focus on automation.

• Moon colonies begin to experience a growing divide. Those that can support the rapid shift to industrialization, such as those that export space construction materials, see economic boons. Those with little to offer the new trends see their budgets shrink.

• First manned landing on Vasvar, the second planet from Sun. The landing is mostly ceremonial as the landing crew returns to orbit to oversee the automated surveying and prospecting of the planet from their ship.

• The Ecology New project comes under scrutiny as several of its biospheres start to relapse into degradation. New research initiatives are launched to better map the behavior of large-scale ecosystems.

• Most types of cancers are now detectable and curable by home remedies.

• First crewed missions to the asteroid belt. These are viability missions to determine the feasibility of colonizing this region.

• Average global life expectancy reaches 100 years.

• Several large floating-city communities join together and jointly ratify a constitution, declaring themselves the first non-land based country in Home history. There is considerable pushback from established governments and the community is not recognized as a nation by many. Economic sanctions against the prominent operators of these cities eventually take a detrimental toll as they are denied trade and other services.

• First crewed missions to Mecra, the first planet of the Home system. Mining operations are established across the surface to harvest the plentiful heavy metals.

• The Fellowship of Nations officially dissolves. Its assets are scrambled amongst the nation states, but the effect causes a significant drop in their respective economies. Some of these fragmented nations turn to the struggling ocean cities for mutual benefit.

• The LHT series of torchships is launched, a modular type of torchship adaptable for custom missions.

Year -80 to -70 FA (2080s C.C.)

• Large-scale weather-abatement systems are coming online in the developed world to mitigate natural catastrophes such as hurricanes, tornados, and floods in the most historically severely affected regions.

• Deep pockets of Suleso (SUL-2i-370), a sulfur variant, are discovered on Vasvar. Lithium compounds with this variant were found to have notably lower solubility than the same compounds with standard sulfur. This behavior was used to significantly boost the lifespan of lithium-sulfur batteries, a widespread component of consumer and military-grade products at this time.

• Crewed missions reach the moons of Jovia. Ceremonially these moons see crewed landings with humans taking their first steps on the surface, but like other worlds surface operations are overseen from orbit. These spacecraft orbit at the moon’s L2 points for shielding from Jovian radiation.

• First colony established on a moon of Jovia, in a break from the standard. The moon has a light atmosphere.

• The population of the asteroid belt surpasses 100.

• Drasdé City and other aging Moon colonies are scrapped for what remains useful and left abandoned.

• A series of protests and riots break out throughout the FSA, eventually spreading to other regions. The dissidents oppose various government policies and are from land-locked communities isolated from the main resource grids.

• Some notable breakthroughs in rocket engine technology make orbital flight from Home cheaper than ever before; these developments are for the most part streamlined technology combined with mass manufacturing. The most common type of rocket is the Jovera-IV and Jovera-V, fully reusable two-stage rockets that are assembled on Moon and launched to Home.

• Construction begins on the international Watchtower effort, a constellation of satellites aimed at scanning the entire solar system for potential threats such as asteroids and rogue spacecraft. The Watchtower will grow over the coming decades to eventually include billions of tiny satellites. Satellite arrays of the same purpose will become fundamental infrastructure for interstellar civilization.

• Various crewed stations are established at the Sun-Home L4 and L5 lagrange points to better service the abundance of spacecraft now traveling through the solar system. These stations cover refueling and maintenance services.

• Many of the most popular lab-grown foods are now completely genetically distinct creations, unrecognizable as the fruits, meats, vegetables, and grains they began as.

• Genetic technology renders miscarriages and birth defects virtually non-existent by this point.

• Several countries vote to leave the Federal States of Apollonia.

Year -70 to -60 FA (2090s C.C.)

• Global population begins to shrink as the number of children per child bearer drops below 2. However, life extension technology continues to improve.

• First crewed missions to the moons of Setria, the sixth planet from Sun.

• The first permanent civilian communities are established in orbit of Home, modeled after the self-sufficient floating city communities that rose to prominence several decades ago. These nations easily operate self-sufficiently though most countries on Home refuse to conduct business with them, their typical stance for the period.

• Moon experiences a population explosion as the first immigration treaties are ratified, allowing anyone with the economic means a chance to establish a life there. The number of applicants vastly exceeds available capacity.

• Population on Moon reaches 100,000. All facilities on Moon are still government-operated.

• Mairn population reaches 1,000.

• The orbital Republic of Sumetrolis is established, declaring itself an independent nation and the first to be exclusively space-based. It is comprised of several stations, with its main population still in cities on Home’s oceans. The rockets that carry the station’s payloads also operate via floating platforms.

• The colonists of the southern continent who were augmented for the cold there have continued to experiment with their genetic engineering. After decades of research and augmentation, it is revealed their youngest generation is biologically incompatible with unmodified humans.

• The Federal States of Apollonia start to suffer their own political conflicts as their complicated bureaucratic system strains from decades of exponential growth and a sudden spike in internal dissent.

• A large asteroid from the main belt is spun to remove debris, then hollowed out and filled with a pressurized bag. It becomes the most voluminous space station ever constructed up to that point.

• Michya Chunyuk (a prominent astrophysicist) and their team publish a paper titled Analytical Assumations on Inverted Energy. The paper is the first to suggest practical details on how negative energy might be artificially produced, a known requirement of the long-dreamt “warp drive” technology. It is met with wild skepticism amongst other scholars.

Around the decades from the low -80s into the -60s, spaceflight becomes rapidly cheaper and more accessible. With the cost to reach low orbit rapidly dropping, there is a push amongst various populations to establish orbital societies similar to the floating cities now plentiful throughout Home’s oceans. Private investors capitalize on this trend, purchasing ever-cheaper rocket systems and space stations. These begin to coalesce into the very first orbital space-based communities, joining the established Republic of Sumetrolis are setting out on their own. Several other new breakaway nations are founded during this time.

At the same time many of Home’s cultures begin to adopt a transhumanist attitude. Labor on Home is widely automated, while food, housing, and energy is no longer a scarcity for most of the world. Societies as a whole look toward genetic engineering and space as a way to set out on a new era.

Year -60 to -50 FA (2100s C.C.)

• The first particle collider on Moon is completed, the largest and most advanced particle collider ever constructed. It is kept underground to shield it from space hazards.

• The first space elevator is completed on Moon, a large cable system that can easily deliver payloads to the Home-Moon L1 point. This investment further cheapens the material transfer cost of payloads from the Moonar surface.

• The Republic of Sumetrolis establishes a space station in orbit of Moon, the first of the breakaway nations to accomplish it.

• Gene editing is now widespread amongst the human population. Regulations still determine some aspects of the process, and only certain adaptations are vetted. This leads to the creation of several genetically unique human species, most with distinctly heightened abilities and senses. This begins to further divide the economic classes as those without access to such augments are left at a further disadvantage.

• Parents in most regions can now choose the gender and physical features of their children, though many still find such uses of the technology to be unethical and excessive.

• After being declared completely devoid of native life, Mairn becomes the testing grounds for introduction of microorganisms engineered for its environment. Mairn will be a testbed for a variety of environmental experiments for decades to come, culminating in the Maircater Determination.

• Several FSA colonies on Moon jointly declare themselves an independent entity after a viral digital campaign, having felt neglected by their progenitor government. These colonies are recognized as independent by the UCR, who open up diplomatic relations, seeing this as an opportunity to further strain Apollonia who are greatly angered by the development. The move opens up possibilities for other breakaway nations vying for recognition. Apollonia summarily recognizes Sumetrolis as an independent nation that same year, in a move they claim to have been planning to make for years and completely unrelated to current events.

• The first crewed missions to Urantus and Netricus are launched, the seventh and eighth planets of the Home system. The two ice giants are at this time separated by about 150 degrees of orbit, requiring completely separate trips. Their mission profiles are similar but utilize slightly different technologies to test new theories. It will take 30 months to reach Urantus, and 52 to reach Netricus.

• Space-based magnetic launch systems are created in orbit of Home and Moon to launch payloads across the system. These payloads are small spacecraft that coast on momentum before eventually lighting their engines for orbital insertion at their destination.

Year -50 to -40 FA (2110s C.C.)

• After years of lobbying and public pressure, Sumetrolis is officially recognized as an independent nation by most world powers. They by this time have a flotilla of cities, space stations in orbit of both Home and Moon, a Moon colony, and an office in the L4 servicing station.

• Various prominent particle physicists collaborate on research for a new type of particle collider to study the emerging field of negative energy.

• Colonists on a moon of Jovia are recalled from their mission profile. These colonists had arrived two years prior, and were voluntarily adapted for their mission with cybernetic implants and biological adaptations. The colonists reject the call to return, and “commandeer” their equipment. The incident leads to system-wide upheaval as the major governments condemn the move as illegal, while fledgling independent communities who have been seeking recognition for decades rush to support them. Sumetrolis is an avidly outspoken supporter. Governments become more wary of investing in far-flung endeavors.

• The breakaway Jovian colonists establish the Mekanon Technocracy, which will become a powerful and influential space nation.

• Several neglected Moon colonies attempt to secede from their respective governments and either declare themselves as independent nations or offer to join existing breakaway nations, to varying success. Some who manage political independence struggle to maintain themselves.

• Construction begins on the Nassic Negatron Collider, located near the Sun-Home L3 point, which at this time is uninhabited. Research has shown the particle physics will be exceptionally dangerous and require a zero-gravity environment.

• Mairn population reaches 10,000.

• After many years of political restructuring, The Federal States of Apollonia (FSA) are officially dissolved. The aging, bloated political structure proved incapable of adjusting to the new cultural adjustments pulling the constituent nations in different directions. Rather than a lengthy and prolonged decline, the remaining FSA nations voted to dissolve the FSA, dividing its assets amongst themselves.

Year -40 to -30 FA (2120s C.C.)

• Travel from the ground to Home orbit is by now easily accessible to the average citizen; rocket launches and destinations are published and purchasable like plane tickets. Travel to Moon is somewhat expensive but also open for immigration and tourism. Mairn is also becoming more accessible by this time, but often requires some form of approval process for those making the trip. Further destinations still border on the limits of being able to accommodate what is essentially human cargo; many operations still permit only trained personnel to make the trips.

• A diversity of colonies across Moon’s surface and the orbital space of the Home-Moon system are by now aligned with independent breakaway nations. These locations act as safe harbor for dissatisfied and adventurous Home residents alike.

• After several years of experiments, an accident annihilates part of the Nassic Negatron Collider. The next steps are deliberated on; options include rebuilding a new collider from scratch or repairing the damaged one, along with moving the operation to Jovian orbit where the gravitational interferences that caused the first catastrophe are expected to be lessened. In the end, it is decided to construct a new collider at the Sun-Jovian L4 point. By this time this orbital location is inhabited by around 100 individuals, who protest this move but are ultimately overruled.

• The Mekanon Technocracy develops the first-ever energy weapon using energons harvested from Jovia’s outer magnetic field. The prototype is developed after a decade of experimentation and is extremely volatile. While enormous and not practical for use as an actual weapon, it nevertheless lays the foundation for future developments.

Year -30 to -20 FA (2130s C.C.)

• A series of rapid technological developments are made for nuclear drive technology. New methods are developed for enriching a powerful plutonium variant (PLU-904-INAR) found on some of the moons of Setris, while at the same time several cascading advancements are made in fission core technology for new types of engines. This creates a gap in nuclear drive implementation as any spacecraft not utilizing these new developments is at a disadvantage.

• Many well-aged LHT series undergo refits before being put up for private sale as they are replaced with more modernized spacecraft. The surplus creates a buyers market, introducing more privately-owned torchships than ever before. With their staple modularity, a retro-surge of “homemade” modular components are once again mass produced, this time for the civilian market.

• The Mosaic Negatron Collider is completed at the Sun-Jovia L4 point, the progenitor of the Nassic.

• Civilian spacecraft begin to spread throughout the Home system seeking to establish themselves as their own private colonies. Many of these efforts will end in tragedy. The old governments that still remain find it impossible to control the spread of this exodus.

• Breakthrough collision is achieved at the Mosaic Negatron Collider: negatrons are artificially produced for the first time in history. The outcome was expected, and its implications - the fueling of spacetime manipulation technology - spread like wildfire through society.

• Serious design begins on the first warp drive, a spacecraft that could manipulate spacetime to travel faster than light relative to the rest of the universe.

Year -20 to -10 FA (2140s C.C.)

• Experiments to produce a stable warp field all result in failure. The machines themselves either explode or appear to warp themselves out of existence.

• By this time, a plethora of struggling civilian spacecraft and other outer space efforts have transmitted distress signals as they experience any of a wide range of potential issues. Mechanical failure, excessive fuel loss, resource scarcity of food or water, misaligned gravitational navigation, and homesickness after one-way trips are all broadcast. Many of these craft are beyond reasonable help, their transmissions eventually becoming nothing more than ghosts from a perished crew. Others end up more fortunate.

• The Civilian Service and Rescue Force is established on Home, a space branch created by old and new governments alike to service and supply those in distress that request assistance. A series of magnetic launch systems are delegated to the task of resupply missions within the orbits of Home, Mairn, the asteroid belt, and eventually Jovia.

• The first ever stable warp field is achieved, lasting for over 7 seconds before intentionally shut down with the warp field generator completely intact. The device is referred to as the Icosa Core and is humanity’s first ever functional warp drive; as of the current year 352 FA it is on permanent display at the Chunyuk Museum of Space History in the Home System.

• Construction begins on the Triquetran Fleet.

• The Legacy Institute is founded by several nations including the Mekanon Technocracy and Sumetrolis, with a stated goal of space discovery and preservation.

Year -10 to 0 FA (2150s C.C.)

• Construction is finalized on the Triquetran Fleet, the first three warp-capable spacecraft: XE1 Stable Retention, XE2 Second Sister, and XE3 Toward Zenith. Capital funding pours into the project which enjoys essentially unlimited funds to ensure a success. Each spacecraft is to be sent on a maiden FTL flight to test the technology. XE1 and XE2 are both activated from Jovia, their scientists believing they have the technology sorted out. XE3 meanwhile is governed by a more conservative approach and sent to the oort cloud.

-6 FA: the XE1 Stable Retention is activated from orbit of Jovia, sent on a ~2-second trip to Setrian L5 point from Jovian L5. However the spacecraft never reemerges from warp and is considered lost. Without any data, physicists can only speculate as to the cause of the failure.

-6 FA: XE3 Toward Zenith is sent by standard propulsion on a trajectory to the Home system’s oort cloud, beyond the boundary that physicists at the time estimate Sun’s gravitational influence is able to disrupt a spacetime bubble.

-3 FA: XE2 Second Sister is launched along the same trajectory as the XW1 with a vastly improved suite of information and warp stability systems. To immense dismay, the Second Sister also never emerges. The scientific team comes under intense public scrutiny and pressure.

-1 FA: XE3 Toward Zenith arrives at its destination in the oort cloud after a five-year sublight trip. It undergoes a final series of adjustments to its systems and technology.

Jun 1, year 0 FA: Drifting in the oort cloud thousands of AU from Home, Toward Zenith’s warp drive is engaged. The spacecraft’s destination is a different point in the oort cloud on the other side of the system. Light lag at its range is over 10 hours, meaning it takes 10 hours for a signal from the craft to reach Home. The spacecraft’s warp journey is to take around 27 minutes.

At precisely the anticipated time and point of reemergence, XE3 Toward Zenith transmits a signal from its destination point. The first successful warp flight in human history has been achieved.

Year 0 FA – 2151 C.C.

• The Foundation Age begins.