Time Line¶
The Golden Age¶
1945-1991
Stagnation¶
1991-2016
The Crapening¶
aka the crumbles
2016-2050
Global warming and its attendant consequences triggers another Migration Period
Continued development of space infrastructure creates space ports, sub-orbital transports, and the construction of the mass driver on Mount Kilimanjaro (CP2020).
Permanent habitation of the Lagrange points and the moon is made possible by the dramatic reduction in cost-to-orbit from the mass drivers, single stage to orbit space planes, and reusable super heavy lift rockets; it’s assumed that cargo is delivered to Low Earth Orbit(LEO) and then moved to its final destination using space tugs.
Zero-G manufacturing results in the development and commercial availability of “miracle” materials (not unlike Andrew Carnegie & the Bessemer process), devices, orbital solar power, and who knows what else.
Sustainable lunar colonies:
Dark side telescopes
Helium-3 mining
Food
Water
Oxygen
Supply consumables and reaction mass to Lagrange point stations from a much shallower gravity well.
Develop a space capable reactor to power a VASIMR rocket engine.
Locus of world finance markets and such move from places like London, New York City, Silicon Valley, etc to the Lagrange points.
First tentative steps on establishing permanent colonies on Mars.
The build out of space ports, mass drivers and associated infrastructure results in (portions of) Africa becoming the next great port; the primary gateway through which all goods flow (ala the Straight of Malacca).
Highrider culture forms; from Earth but not of Earth.
Great power competition for access to space ports; not unlike the Russian’s desire and need for warm water ports. Can’t compete for trade without cost effective access to LEO and beyond. Those who cannot secure such access are now “space locked” and have to rely on other powers for space trade access.
Assume additional space ports in Central/South America, Pacific, and ?. Including small islands and even floating platforms for the most desperate.
Age of Space Faring Discovery¶
aka colonizing the solar system
aka The Expanse
The first quadrillion asteroid is captured and mined which completely up ends existing financial markets, supply chains, and basic assumptions. Assume huge mining ships capturing asteroids, processing them, and shipping raw materials via mass drivers. Wild cat asteroid prospectors plant the seeds for the Outer Planets Alliance
Epstein Drive developed, enabling colonization of the outer planets and their moons. Cost and speed of shipping drops dramatically.
The locus of human development shifts from Earth and into the solar system.
Practical warp drive developed but lacks fuel source.
Age of FTL Discovery¶
Warp drive fuel source discovered which triggers another great power competition for control of it.
The fur ball results in three or so surviving great powers (eg post WWI); at least one surprise dark horse.
Earth is devastated by at least one space bombardment (The Expanse) during the fur ball and is a post-apocalyptic wasteland.
The surviving powers begin to explore and then exploit other star systems.
Travel is at least as dangerous as during the age of exploration. Ships and colonies go missing/dark all of the time.
A handful of “jackpot” systems are discovered and the great powers begin shifting their center of gravity from our solar system to these systems.
Interstellar navigation is dangerous and developing reliable navigation charts is time consuming and very expensive therefore these charts are jealously guarded. There are equivalents to currents, tides, trade winds, reefs, and lee shores which all combine to form shipping lanes and choke points. Warp drive endurance, fuel and maintenance requirements, and other constraints allow for pirates and cruiser warfare.
The only FTL communication is via mail ships.
There is a communications lag of months or even years across an empire.
Age of FTL Empires¶
Great power competition is now between empires of star systems.
Maintaining access to the frontier or wild space is the major concern; no one wants to get boxed in.
Assume that there are axis of expansion which are more desirable than others.