Timeline

The Starborn universe follows a possible progression for the future of Earth & humanity. Contained below are the events that have helped to shape colonized space. This record is a constantly shifting entry due to Starborn's stance on episodic content, so check back often to stay on top of the history that shapes it all.

Early Years

Space Exploration Infancy

• 1961 - Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin, first man to enter space.
• 1978 - First Test-tube baby, Louise Joy Brown, born.
• 1994 - Economic growth around the world see herbicide overuse spread. Everyday chemical use expands equally.
• 2000 - NASA's Mars Exploration Rover project began.
• 2000 - Several high-profile political elections close on shaky ground, high-light the spread of governmental corruption.
• 2003 - Space Shuttle Columbia disaster occurs, space program budget cuts.
• 2004 - First working pure state NMR Quantum Computer demonstrated.
• 2007 - Seed vault opened at north pole to guard against failing genetic diversity in crop yield.
• 2008 - First synthetic genome created in labs.
• 2008 - Frozen water discovered by probes on Martain poles.
• 2012 - First successful, privately funded spacecraft program develops X4, a new space craft capable of reaching orbit and sustaining it for extended periods.
• 2012 - Beginning of a micro ice-age induced by a lull in solar activity, temperature loss offsets some of carbon-based warming.
• 2013 - Low-Orbit satellite based wireless internet undertaken. Delivers internet across 95% of Earth's surface.
• 2015 - Governments want to beat private industry into space in order to enforce new, regulatory laws in Earth space. Plans for Orion 17 was fast-tracked.
• 2017 - Orion 17 is launched. Its success allows NASA to begin gradual construction of a lunar outpost.
• 2017 - First large-scale commercial application of engineered foods, helps meet growing strains on the worlds food supply.
• 2019 - Unemployment rates reach a peak. This turns public opinion against expensive space missions despite NASA's success on the moon. Politicians are forced to shift funding from space program, and a minimal crew of 20 is maintained for years on Lunar Outpost I. NASA, however, continues plans with a manned mission to Mars the following year.
• 2020 - Human mission to mars undertaken, crew dies as ship capabilities degrade over the length of the trip. Vehicle burns up in Martian atmosphere. Further budget cuts for key space programs.
• 2024 - Private industry led by L-Solar, assumes the leading role in continued supply missions to Lunar Outpost I.
• 2048 - Solar activity revamps, coming out of a decades long slump in global temperatures, the world is back on track for over-heating due to global warming.
• 2050 - Using cheap private launch sites, corporations gamble on space-based solar power. Despite many failures their efforts prove to be a profitable success - with others quickly copy-catting with more daring plans of exploitation and innovation.
• 2054 - Kinkaid Robotics is formed with some of the leading minds from 9 different countries.

Oil versus Solar

• 2062 - Advancements in solar energy begin to threaten OPEC's market. OPEC member nations begin scaling back supply to US and Europe and demand solar power be scaled back.
• 2063 - OPEC begins increasing supply to China and many other third world countries in hopes of strengthening their position in the world.
• 2063 - Kinkaid robots sent to space in order to clear space-based garbage. Aged satellites and other matter jettisoned into the sun in the cleanup effort that would pave the way for easier space travel.
• 2065 - OPEC supply cutbacks weaken US and Europe - economies of both begin to buckle. US fully opens Alaskan reserves, and Europe turns to Russia for its oil reserves. However, neither is enough to meet their demand.
• 2068 - OPEC member nations leave UN. China soon follows.
• 2070 - UN is dissolved. US and Europe form new alliance, .

The Asio-OPEC War

• 2071 - US/EU begin troop build-up in Israel and Turkey. OPEC turns to China for support. Russia and Japan sign a non-aggression pact with China and OPEC. US secretly hire large merc agencies based in Africa.
• 2072 Apr - Joint forces of US, EU, and Israel strike Egypt, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia. Chinese reinforcements in Saudi Arabia hold the nation's defenses, but the Iraqi oil fields fall to US/EU.
• 2072 Summer - Venezuela seizes the US territory, Cuba, and invades Mexico (which falls soon), giving OPEC a direct border with the US. Chinese reinforcements flood into Venezuelan-controlled Mexico. The eminent threat from their southern border causes the US to re-institute the draft. A hastily built military force made of new draftees and reserves is mobilized in southern Texas.
• 2072 Sept - Australia remains neutral, but secretly supplies the US with its oil reserves from OPEC.
• 2072 Oct - The merc forces in Africa, hired by the US, seize most of the continent with little resistance.
• 2072 Dec - The Chinese Navy cuts the Australian-US trade route across the Pacific. Chinese and Venezuelan forces launch their campaign against the Mexican border with US. The US is forced to retreat out of Texas leaving a thin defensive line bulging up into the midwest.
• 2073 May - Russia sees troop build-up along their border with China and fears a betrayal. It mobilizes its forces along the same border.
• 2073 July - Russia braces its defenses along the Chinese border while pushing its southern forces down through India and into Iran to capture its oil fields. China unleashes hell on Russia's border.
• 2073 Aug - Russia's entry into the war helps the US. Chinese involvement with the Venezuelans declines as more attention must be devoted to Russia.
• 2073 Nov - Kinkaid Robotics, responding to the needs of the US/EU, develop the first efficient, powered armor suit.
• 2080 - Many of the warring nations enter a prolonged stand-off. No nation wants to concede anything. The world's oil fields are roughly split evenly, and many nations find ways to exist with less oil.

Corporations Rise, Governments Fall

• 2094 - Oil reserves reach record lows, and refineries world-wide are destroyed or crippled. Peace agreement reached between all warring nations.
• 2097 - Many nations are unable to properly address the issue of reconstruction after the devastation of the Asio-Opec War. Confidence in governments declines significantly.
• 2102 - L-Solar offers a majority share of its company to OPEC in exchange for OPEC's agreement to provide capital for them to expand their operations.
• 2108 - Governments try to shift from war-time economies, and unemployment begins to rise significantly.
• 2110 - Despite rampant world-wide extinctions scientists claim to have cataloged 97% of Earth's species' genomes.
• 2110 - OPEC decides to cut losses and adopt the L-Solar name for all future activities, creates separate entity to continue oil-based production functions.
• 2111 - Many of the nations, unable to finance social services, begin privatizing parts of the government such as the penal system, national security, and the education system.

Rebuilding Earth, Reshaping Mars

• 2113 - Mars bound terraforming drones launched. Some of the drones intended to melt parts of the polar regions on Mars, freeing critical elements necessary to establishing a tolerable atmosphere and rising greenhouse effect raises surface temperatures. Other drones contained genetically engineered biological agents likely simple plant life set for gradual release as an atmosphere is established. These agents are intended to repopulate at a very fast rate, consuming the abundance of carbon dioxide released from the polar regions, and producing sufficient levels of oxygen to support life. The atmosphere would also be sufficient to shield the planet's surface from harmful solar radiation.
• 2116 - Probes sent to Mars to detect whether terraforming drones were successful.
• 2117 - Widespread animosity bred over years towards many countries causes implosion. In the wake numerous countries are left as little more than large organizations and corporations focused on providing some social benefits and employment, a pale shadow of their former selves.
• 2119 - Cohesion of permeable trade borders sees development of copy-cat agreements establishing continental alliance mirroring the European Union.
• 2124 - Abundant energy promotes development of early magnetic launchers. Technology used to reduce the cost of space-based activity.
• 2147 - Some of Earth's largest cities begin development of upper city plates to try to escape the pollution.
• 2180 - Creation of the Secure Satellite upLink by the Solaris Corporation.

Genetic Age

Earth's Carcinomatosis

• 2204 - Mass adoption of plate city movement - driven primarily by construction droids built by Kinkaid Robotics.
• 2212 - Over two hundred years of chemically enhanced, genetically engineered, and artificially preserved foods stain humanity's palate. Some cry foul, others say there is nothing to fear - both arguments engender non-action for too long.
• 2219 - Riots in the Low-Lands begin to become more wide-spread and effective at garnering public interest.
• 2237 - Over pollution has led to an escalating frequency of cancer Earth's Carcinomatosis spreads.
• 2253 - Successfully examining the need for change engineers manage to begin reducing the potential for carcinogens in man-made materials.
• 2280 - Sennhieser Nanosystems is founded to explore the possibility of using nanosystems to fight the new forms of cancer.

Heritage 7

• 2292 - Ikhard Harlan invents the Heritage 7 virus - designed to combat the mutagenic nature of cancer - the virus becomes the key to structured evolution.
• 2295 - Ikhard Harlan presents his idea to governments.
• 2296 - Testing begins on the humans in the Low-Lands. First generation subjects show no signs of recovery. Ikhard Harlan has to fight to maintain funding.
• 2312 - Second-generation subjects all have an incredible resistance to the diseases that had been killing humans off for generations.
• 2313 - Ikhard Harlan becomes chief officer of operations (COO) at Sennhieser Nanosystems. His knowledge of Heritage 7 and genetic theory greatly advance the company's bioengineering divisions.
• 2320 - Heritage7 virus is made a mandatory injection to be given at birth to all humans.

Early Colonists

• 2334 - Movement for Plate City reforms begins to gain popularity. Marches and demonstrations by those still in the Low-Lands challenge the governments to do something.
• 2335 - Kinkaid Robotics and Sennhieser Nanosystems form a partnership to work on Aegis 9 Synteks, a project to develop life-like, sentient droids.
• 2340 - First Aegis 9 Synteks are sent on test runs to Mars. Their limited learning process means they must be programmed for specific tasks such as simple construction and monitoring duties on Mars.
• 2349 - Governing corporations form programs to pay people to become first colonists. Most of the volunteers come from the Low-Lands.
• 2350 - Solar Year adopted as chief operator to standardize all record keeping no matter the length of orbit.
• 2352 - Most of the colonization efforts are made on Mars. The planet's terraformed surface makes it the most cost-effective off-world colony.
• 2365 - First colonists begin exhibiting mutations that help them adapt to their new environments.
• 2368 - Tachyon Transmission Technology turns the SSL into an instantaneous space transmission system.
• 2371 - The technology behind Heritage 7 matures, and it becomes possible to tailor people to the environments they're heading to, using DNA samples with identified mutations collected from earlier colonists.
• 2375 - Most of Kinkaid Robotics officially merges into Sennhieser Nanosystems, and the first Gen1 Syntek droids are developed. The mecha division of Kinkaid Robotics is the only part that continues under that name.
• 2380 - A minor crisis gradually erupts as millions of people become aware of unusual abilities within themselves. Over time, and with the help of Parcenia, people become accustomed to the idea of mystical powers. This period of unexpected growth is now known as the Enlightenment.

Space Exodus

Growing Pains in the Stars

• 2385 - The rapid growth on Mars makes it difficult for areas of the society to keep up with expansion of cities. Lawlessness grows as organized crime takes root.
• 2337 - Large-scale economic downturn pushes the Sol System to rethink colonization mechanics, Venus's rise mistakenly blamed for the downturn.
• 2391 - It becomes standard protocol to send a crew of Syntek droids as first wave colonists to any new world. Their duty is to begin construction of artificial habitats for the humans that follow.
• 2401 - First wave of Gen1 Synteks are sent to the Jovian moons Ganymede and Europa. Their ability to work without rest greatly accelerates the development of colonies on the worlds.
• 2416 - iXLink offers up a private institute to study the Heritage 7 virus. Patents splicing technology to commercialize on the morph-able nature of the virus.

Birth of New Races

• 2490 - General Caspiez of the Jovian League leads a small fleet out beyond the Inner Oort Region on a two year expedition.
• 2494 - First new race officially recognized as: Caspiez named for the general of the only surviving ship to return from the deep space ranging expedition.
• ...detail introduction of other races further...
• 2526 - Caspiez lead crews venture out into Oort Cloud attempting to map its largest objects.
• 2630 - Sol, colonized the eyes of men have long-since turned outward to other systems. The Secure Satellite upLink becomes the backbone of interplanetary communication via a system wide grid of satellites (from which it gets its nickname).
• 2648 - A large Christian population leads to a splinter-faith developing, drawing a large base of support for those of The Source.
• 2712 - Chantilas System colonization a delayed success as the initial terraforming engine fails, rendering the first choice a water-world, Aquelas. Tachyons show vast acceleration when transmitted through a slipstream, instant interstellar communication is born.
• 2794 - Desh recognized after a nearly 60 year struggle for representation that was hauntingly similar to the fight for civil rights in the 1900s.
• 2810 - Following on the heels of the Desh, the AriX move to be recognized, and quickly are while somehow avoiding the negative backlash the Desh received.

Syntek Uprising

• 2874 - Slavery reported emerging in Rim-World colonies of the Oort cloud and amongst hidden pirate factions. Astrum forces working to crack down on the situation report the practice if far more common than anticipated.
• 2912 - Syntek Uprising begins in the Jovian League, toppling the established monarchy and triggering civil war between the noble houses.

Renaissance of the Stars

Social Heritage Re-emergence

• 3011 - Rapid colonization pushes mankind into numerous other systems: Ras Elased System, Barella System
• 3032 - Systems Classification developed around societal factors by sociologist Frederick Juno.
• 3057 - Marked increase in the spread of the Social Strata as detailed by Juno's system. Cultures and governments see splinters and expansive movements rise as people re-identify with their own systems'.
• Inex System and Ucual systems planned and pushed by the Ucual Corporation and the Inex Group.
• 3146 - Ucual system colonization ship reported failure, Ucual Corporation stock plummets.

Phirrus Discovery Conflict

• 3176 - Years after the failed colonization attempt was reported the Ucual Corporation proclaims the birth of a new race, the Phirrus. Their actions in genetics alongside murmurs of what could be the largest corporate cover up in history follow.
• 3178 - Astrum leads investigatory teams into the Ucual system, finds grievous problems throughout the system - coverups of murders, genetic misconduct, and absent humanitarian ethics.
• 3185 - ISA forces, lead by Astrum investigators purge all traces of Ucual corporation involvement in the system with the aid of rebelling Phirrus.
• 3190 - Den-Si Party formed after a schism divides the Phirrus population into Phirruden and Phirrukup. Conflict erupts between the party and the outside ISA and Astrum forces.
• 3197 - The Den-Si party has taken all Scorpio Outposts and militarized heavily with funding that strains relations abroad - government body soon declares all past debts null and void.
• 3199 - Arix leaders decide to cut-off all ship trade to the Phirruden from their famous moon Capella.
• 3201 - ISA place a large military garrison on the Ucual Slip-Stream Port, ensuring control of transit to the beleaguered system.
• 3206 - Relay network for transit lanes attacked by malicious virus AI, system fails for nearly a week in some areas. Transit in Sol System reduced by 15% during the attack.
• 3218 - Syntek are recognized by more than 50% of the universal directorate bodies as living entities all their own. More than any other group, they are truly inhuman beings.
• 3218 - Game Begins.

(All dates are logged according to Sol's years.)