[ooc](Author’s Note: Standard surveys and censuses - any tables that will appear updated on a regular basis - will be presented in additional posts once a chapter is completed. Ship design layouts will also be in a separate post in the chapter so as to keep the write-up clear)[/ooc]
On January 1, 2115, the population of Earth stood at approximately 4.5 billion individuals, approximately the same population as had been present in 1981 but slightly less than half the peak population the planet had witnessed only a hundred years prior. Of these, some 900 million individuals stood available to work in the manufacturing industry.
Armed with knowledge of Trans-Newtonian minerals, survey teams had completed a full survey of Earth by the time 2115 began. The planet was found to have a large quantity of Duranium (almost 3 million raw tons), but quantities of all other minerals that were a third or less that of the Duranium supply. In particular, only a quarter of a million tons of Corbomite and Gallicite were present within the planet.
Planetary Administrator Kingham knew that he would have a hard road ahead of him. Despite the strides of the past fifteen years, Earth was only beginning to grasp at the potential that these new materials held for humanity. Being able to properly harness and utilize these new sciences and technologies would either lead the planet into a golden age… or a dark age. If they were not handled properly, not managed carefully, they would send mankind careening out of control.
At the start of his new job, Kingham laid down four priorities he intended to pursue over the next five years. Though he was not required to do so, he wanted the Congress - and the planet - to fully understand the course he was charting for them:
- Modernize all conventional industry on earth
- Perform research to enable the surveying of other planetary bodies in the solar system
- Build survey ships
- Research technologies vital to establishing colonies outside of Earth
He knew that his priorities would take time to achieve. It was entirely possible he would not be finished with them before the 2120 Congress was chosen. But at the same time he knew that he was laying down the groundwork for anything that would be done in the future.
By the year 2118 the scientific community had progressed far enough that the initial designs for an intra-solar system geological survey ship could be drafted. Two hulls were laid down at the Ulatowski Shipbuilding yards, orbiting Earth. It would take three years to complete them, however - a long time that was the result of mankind’s newly-discovered ability to build hulls in space. No doubt that the time to build ships would decrease as humanity gained more experience in the field.
It barely seemed like a day has passed, but the 2120 Congress was selected on January 1, 2120, and they conducted their first vote on Administrator Kingham’s performance. Unsurprisingly, the vote came in at 97% in his favor.
In five years the Earth had grown by over 200 million people. Almost half of her conventional industries had been converted into mines, fuel refineries, or construction factories, yet the number of available workers had only increased. Fueled by the knowledge that the two Issac Newton-class geological survey vessels were nearing completion, Kingham addressed the planet and updated his priorities:
- Complete modernization of all industry on Earth
- Conduct research into fields necessary to support new colonies
- Establish additional academic facilities for new officers and scientists
- Improve speed of ship construction
The third point was a bit of an unusual one, but it was there for a reason - the one thing that the scientific community lacked were good head scientists - minds that were considered to be specialists in their individual fields of study. Kingham wanted a solid base of scientists and researchers to help drive along innovation and further the development of those technologies and sciences that mankind would need to master the stars.
On March 6, 2121, the first two of the Issac Newton-class of geological survey ships were completed. The Issac Newton and the Rene Descartes were christened, and their first orders were to survey the Moon for any signs of Trans-Newtonian materials. This would be followed by the rest of the inner solar system.
The two ships departed for Luna immediately, and it was barely a full day before their scans were complete. News was sent back to Earth immediately that deposits of Duranium, Tritanium, and Mercassium were discovered on Earth’s single satellite. Administrator Kingham immediately summoned a team of geological experts, led by Commander Colby Gillen - Survey Officer for Fleet HQ - and ordered them to perform a more in-depth analysis of the Moon’s mineral contents.
For a week the team spent their time on the barren surface of the moon. Finally, Commander Gillen reported in that the team had found an additional deposit of Uridium, but nothing beyond that.
No sooner had the Gillen team completed their survey than they were recalled and sent to Venus. Under far less-hospitable conditions than the Moon the team began to finalize a survey that had just been completed by the Newton and the Descartes indicating the presence of Duranium, Neutronium, Boronide, Uridium, and Gallicite on the solar system’s second planet. Unfortunately, two months of effort turned up little else and they were soon sent back to Earth.
There was little else visible as the calendar turns towards January 1, 2125. Kingham retained his position with the same approval rating - 97% - largely driven by the progress he had made to this point. At the start of 2125 the planet had converted all it’s conventional industry into specialized industries. Almost 5,000 construction facilities were available to manufacture ship components or ground structures. Some 2,500 mines excavated the planet’s supply of Trans-Newtonian minerals. The number of training centers had increased to five from one, meaning more scientists, administrators, and officers were joining the government each year. In short, Kingham appeared to have the planet laying down the right foundation for a successful future.
Following the confidence vote, Kingham set his upcoming priorities. In ten years he had done quite well in his duties so far. Now he knew the planet was approaching a time where colonization would become the key priority. To do so, there were still items that had to be accomplished first:
- Expand - or construct additional - shipyards to enable construction of freighters and colony ships
- Improve the speed of ship construction
- Establish an automated mining colony on Venus
- Survey the asteroid belt
The two geological survey vessels had already been active now for almost four years. During that time they had surveyed all planets in the solar system, investigated many of the moons, and were now turning to the asteroids that are scattered throughout. Unfortunately, outside of the discoveries made on Luna and Venus, there did not appear to be any sizable mineral deposits to be found in any other planet or moon. The gas giants - Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus - were all found to contain Sorium in a liquid form - but that is largely it.
Kingham also recognized that the establishment of colonies on other planets would require the development of a proper infrastructure. Cargo freighters must be constructed, as well as colony ships. These ships would be large affairs, and at present there was only one commercial-rated shipyard present. That shipyard could not handle the entire load on their own. Additional shipyards would need to be built.
Three new shipyards were constructed in orbit. They, plus the existing Ulatowski yards, raced to add slipways and expand capacity in those slipways. By the time 2130 arrives they could handle 20,000 tons over three slipways each, while Ulatowski could handle 60,000 tons over her three slips. Ulatowski would be able to handle construction, but it would likely take several more years before the other yards had the capacity to do so.
Kingham’s third approval vote was higher than the previous two - 98%. Things were starting to pick up and the new Congress recognized this. However, things were beginning to accelerate in other ways as well. The planet’s population was approaching 5.5 billion inhabitants. While cleanup continued on those portions of the planet rendered inhospitable during the past decade, the Earth could not support nearly as many people as she had before.
Kingham’s priorities for the next five years were very much what was expected:
- Establish mining base on Venus
- Establish colony on Luna
- Complete survey of asteroid belt
- Increase research into improved power plants/drives
The creation of automated mines was ahead of schedule, and Kingham wanted to get a mining facility on Venus soon to help supplement Earth’s manufacturing base. At the same time, plans had been completed for freighters and colony ships, each of which are over 40,000 tons in size. The designs were fairly basic, but consideration had to be given to the lack of available tonnage capacity in the existing yards.
There was also talk from the scientific community that they may be nearing a breakthrough in power plants/engines. To this point they had been relying on improving upon existing technologies - which is why nuclear thermal and nuclear pulse technologies were at the heart of current engine designs. However, progress in the field had begun to substantially increase now that an average of 8 new scientists are joining the research community each year. As a result, there had been increasing talk in academic circles of the possibility of ion drives.
The Ultaowski yards began to retool to handle the new freighter and colony ship designs. In an effort to improve build time, Earth’s industry pre-fabricated key parts during this time, including engines and cryostasis pods. By the time the retooling was completed in February, 2131, there was a substantial stockpile of these items and expected build times would only be four months, only a fifth of what it would have been previously.
On June 22, 2131, two freighters and a colony ship were launched. The colony ship began to load up 100,000 volunteers willing to help found the Luna colony. The freighters, meanwhile, took on pre-fabricated infrastructure and ferried it from the Earth to the Moon. Two days later, the Luna colony was founded…
