The Galactic Era: the future history of space travel and first contact

The Galactic Era

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Everything changed the year the first rotation drive was built, proving that instantaneous travel to distant stars was possible. We now call that year 1 GE: the first year of the Galactic Era. Thanks to the collaborative work of a small but dedicated international research team, the world had a common goal to unify behind: to find out what, and who, is really out there.   But no... not really. That makes it all sound too grand.   That "international research team" was funded by the Zhongguo-Cruz Corporate Empire Alliance as a strategic maneuver in their bitter economic and ideological rivalry with the Transeŭropa Demokratia Reto. Most people of the world either didn't care about "the New Space Race" or resented it for sucking attention and resources from problems on earth. And let's face it, humanity has never unified behind a single goal, either before or after the year 1 GE.   Did the invention of the rotation drive change the world? It sure did.   But not as much as the things that happened after.

Pre-Galactic Era

-350 to -311 GE
Accelerating political radicalization in the U.S.
-322 GE
Chronic 44°C+ summer temperatures begin in Australia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and southern U.S.
-320 GE
Release of the first version of the Convolv Algorithm See: Convolutional Semantic Mapper
-318 GE
Water riots begin in India, Iran, Syria, Turkey, Italy and the southwest U.S.
-311 GE
Collapse of the United States government.
-308 to -292 GE
Accelerating political radicalization in Europe.
-303 GE
Flooding riots in Mumbai and Ho Chi Minh City, and across Pakistan and Bangladesh.
-292 GE
Establishment of the TDR. See: Transeŭropa Demokratia Reto
-285 GE
Extinction of more than 95% of wild seafood species.
-285 to -260 GE
Rapid growth of seaweed and algae farms in South America and East Africa.
-277 GE
Chronic 44°C+ summer temperatures begin across south Asia.
-263 GE
Collapse of governments in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.
-255 GE
Australian government dissolves, ceding power to local polities.
-241 GE
Founding of the Cruz Corporate Empire. See: Cruz Corporate Empire
-240 to -190 GE
Slow disintegration of Russia into warring city-states.
-222 GE
Official declaration of Watu wa Umoja wa Alkebulan. See: Watu wa Umoja wa Alkebulan
-192 GE
Founding of the Zhongguo Corporate Empire. See: Zhongguo Corporate Empire
-181 GE to -81 GE
Steady increase in pandemic viral outbreaks.
-62 GE
Formation of the ZCCA. See: Zhongguo-Cruz Corporate Empire Alliance
-32 GE
Discovery of Rotation Drive theory. See: Rotation Drive

The Galactic Era

1 GE
First practical implementation of the Rotation Drive.
32 to 86 GE
Construction of Ianus Autofactory. See: Ianus Autofactory
86 to 91 GE
Ianus manufactures the first generation of Rotation Drive ships.
91 to 111 GE
First period of space exploration: "The New Space Race." See: Project New Ariel
111 GE
Alien life discovered on Nixy. See: Nixy (planet Kepler-452b)
123 to 213 GE
Second period of space exploration: "The Golden Age of Space Exploration." See: Project Expedition
181 GE
Development of the Keji Scoring Protocol. See: Keji Scoring Protocol
213 GE
The Erlang Tragedy. See: Erlang (planet HAT-P-11b)
214 to 234 GE
20 Year War.
219 GE
Ianus discontinues production of Hořavas expedition vessels.
225 GE
Ianus discontinues production of Witten research vessels.
239 GE
Intelligent life discovered on Planetagua. See: Planetagua (planet Kepler-62e)
240 to 302 GE
Third period of space exploration. See: Project Yacatecuhtli
311 GE
Expedition to Nugua (grudgingly) approved. See: Nugua (planet Kepler-70c)
312 GE
NOW
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