Humanity is galvanized by the news that the first geological survey ship will be finished in April, 2119. For the first time, Man will leave his home planet and travel to other planets and moons. The scientific community is eager and excited - if there are deposits of Trans-Newtonian materials on other worlds, it will have settled the nagging question about whether or not these resources would be finite and constrained to Earth. For Administrator Faulkner, who is approaching the five-year anniversary of her election to her position (and, thus, the first vote of confidence from the Global Congress), this marks the first solid step forward in her dreams of colonies on other planets.
Ahead of the launch of the Patroclus, Faulkner orders the creation of additional shipyards, including the development of the first commercial yard. The corporations of Earth are excited at the news, as Bird Transport Group has already announced its intentions to begin launching freighters and passenger liners of its own once colonization is underway.
The first new shipyard is completed in early February. The Armstrong Gulf Shipyards immediately begin adding a second slipway to their yards in an effort to be able to handle multiple keels at the same time. Less than a month later the Crawford & Noble Shipyard is completed and they too begin to add a slipway. Wells Marine Industries has a shipyard up within a month, and by the time the Patroclus launches there is another yard from Booth Shipbuilding & Engineering Company.
On April 29 the Patroclus departs from the Franklin Shipyards. Command is assigned to Captain Francesca Phillips, considered by many to be one of the top officers in the naval corps. Phillips, the fleet's survey officer for the past four years, is a logical choice for the role. Upon accepting command, she is given her orders: Proceed to survey Luna and Mars, then proceed to any asteroids within Earth or Mars orbits.
As Patroclus departed, work began on her sister ship, the Marathon, which was slated to be completed in August.
Results from the Moon are not promising - the initial survey shows no Trans-Newtonian materials present. The scientists wait with baited breath as the Patroclus makes her way to Mars, arriving in only two-and-a-half days. It takes five days more before Captain Phillips reports back - minerals have been discovered on Mars!
Mars Preliminary Survey
Duranium: 21 mil (0. 2 accessibility)
Tritanium: 8 mil (0. 1)
Mercassium: 5. 2 mil (0. 8 )
Sorium: 7. 4 mil (0. 1)
Corundium: 722k (0. 1)
The results are exciting though also disappointing. Mars is one of the most suitable locations in the solar system for a colony, and the presence of Trans-Newtonian minerals makes it that much more suitable. However, the accessibility of many of these minerals is not as suitable. It will take five Duranium mines on Mars to equal the output of one on Earth, 8 for Tritanium, 8 for Sorium, and 4 for Corundium. The good news is that the levels of all these minerals far exceed those on earth, in some cases by a factor of ten.
The news spurs the naval designers into action once more. To colonize other planets will require both colony ships outfitted with cryogenic transportation but also freighters with cargo holds capable of moving the necessary infrastructure. Unfortunately, once again, tonnage constraints have reared their ugly heads - the smallest freighter would still be over 25,000 tons in size, and even a modest colony ship would need 16,000 tons to handle 50,000 colonists.
There is a possible solution, however - the commercial shipyard that is slated for construction in a couple months could, in theory, be able to handle such ship sizes. They would need to upgrade their facilities but it would be far less time-consuming. The designers decide to wait until the first commercial shipyard is available. They do, however, send a recommendation over to the scientists for the development of a commercial engine that would be suitable to the tasks required.
In late May the final naval shipyard, Wall International, is completed and also begins work on additional slipways. It is estimated that the commercial yard will be completed within 3-5 weeks.
The Patroclus has performed amazingly in her first month in space. Before June is out she has surveyed one planet, three moons, and fifteen asteroids. Minerals have been found on Mars and a small amount on the asteroid Apophis. Seeing opportunity to push the limits, Commodore Owens gives new orders to Captain Phillips to transit the asteroid belt and begin surveying the moons of Jupiter and Saturn. If all goes according to plan, she will complete her orders in just over 60 days, giving the ship still six months of time left before she has to return to Earth to refuel and resupply.
The Gardner Marine shipyard is completed in Earth orbit in mid-June and begins work on expanding their capacity. It is decided they will need to be able to handle commercial vessel designs of at least 50k tons and the expansions will likely take two years to complete. This is still well within the 15-year plan that Administrator Faulkner has envisioned.
On August 21 the Marathon is launched from Franklin Shipyards. Command of the ship is given to Commander Jacob Wood, and Marathon is ordered to conduct geological surveys on Venus and Mercury. Patroclus meanwhile has completed her current orders and has been sent to conduct surveys of Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, and their respective moons. Clearly this ship has exceeded the wildest imaginings of her designers, for they are accomplishing survey missions at an incredible rate.
Venus Preliminary Survey
Duranium: 10 mil (0. 8 accessibility)
The discovery of a more readily-accessible source of Duranium would make Venus a good mining colony, or even a good destination for automated miners. The planet is very inhospitable and the resources required to establish a colony there would be far too great.
In late November Patroclus returns home to Earth. She has been in space for four months, and has surveyed six planets and all the moons of said planets. The population of the planet gives the ship, and her captain, a hero’s welcome. With the crew getting some shore leave, the ship will undergo overhaul and then receive her new orders, likely involving some of the planetary bodies at the far reaches of the solar system.
A few weeks later, the scientific team led by Jamie Horton announces that they have completed research into Nuclear Pulse Engine technology. This latest technology improves speed and reduces engine size even further, which sends ship designers scurrying back to design new engines.
Mankind enters 2020 with all nine planets of the solar system surveyed for Trans-Newtonian minerals. This is a pivotal year, for the next members of the Global Congress will be chosen at random, and they will vote on the job that Sarah Faulkner has done to this point.
The selection of the new Congress, carried out by computer, takes place on March 1. The Congress, sworn in by the departing members, now turns to their first duty - the vote of confidence - before any other business will be conducted. One by one the members of Congress are polled. One by one they give their answers. At the end, the vote is tallied, and support for Administrator Faulkner is unanimous. She will continue for another five years.
Little else happens in 2020 aside from the vote - the first vote in this modern space age. The scientists continue to work on new discoveries, the Patroclus and Marathon continue to explore asteroids for minerals, and the shipyards continue to add slipways and expand their capacity.
But mankind is about to make a breakthrough that will change how they see the universe. . .
