March 27th 2045: Two more Outreach class ships are finished and depart to aid in survey operations
April 7th 2045: The Emperor awards a round of exploration medals to commanders of the ships that have left the Solar system, though many are in absence, of course.
April 20th 2045: TES Marco Polo transits the last currently unexplored JP and finds Epsilon Eridani, an orange star. Disappointingly, it has no orbiting bodies. As every other branch is being taken care of appropriately, the ship begins a grav survey.
May 10th 2045: The outer two planets in the Barnards Star system are too far away for survey, so the task force wraps up the expedition. The system is slated for first extra-solar development, though that isn't saying much. The task force will try another system survey soon.
May 15th 2045: Mining operations established on Titan in same fashion as on Venus. Frederick Arce, a young college aquantance of Patrick I given control of the facility.
July 17th 2045: First two Toronto Class Missile Cruisers laid down. Militarists believe they'll be useful despite the lack of a sensor ship, and that building them now will decrease the time needed for the military once the new class is completed. Launch date is set for roughly one year away.
August 12th 2045: While on overhaul, Captain Stella Nicodemus is granted the title Duchess of Greece for leading the taskforce in Barnards Star's system. The media has been a circus during her return, much as they were with the Duke of Nigeria. Unlike him, however, she supports the Explorer faction.
November 9th 2045: TES Outreach and TES Discovery arrive to survey Lacaille 8760.
December 16th 2045: TES Outreach finds a new jump point in Lacaille 8760, but without a jump gate. Goes for a quick peek, seeing as the gate allows the Discovery to retreat without her if needed.
December 18th 2045: TES Henry Hudson and TES Leif Ericson arrive to survey Ross 248.
December 23rd 2045: TES Outreach finds EZ Aquarii, a trianary red dwarf system. The stars orbit in planet-like ranges, with the objects orbiting the B and C components functioning like moons. The system has a massive but barren rocky planet first, then two small rocks hardly worth planet status, a Titan like planet, then the secondary orbited by one tiny rock, the thrid star with a few asteroids and a tiny gas giant, then back to planets orbiting the primary with a gas giant system, two more sub-planets, and another gas giant system. TES Outreach heads back to continue the grav survey, as nothing is of immediate concern.
January 1st 2046: Patrick I proposes to Emily Chapdelaine. While a surprise to the public at large, the two have grown close over the course of working together in the Empire. Chapedelaine has been making more and more frequent "business" trips to Earth, though to be fair the vast majority are indeed to at least participate as an adviser. The wedding is set for Jan 1st, 2047.
January 3rd 2046: The Navy reports that while the technology to build a jump gate constructor now exists, it would be impractical without improved engine technology to move the hulking vessel. This is added to the list of research priorities.
January 5th 2046: Elections see a rise in non-aligned support.
Council: 2 Explorers - 3 Militarists - 1 Apolitical
Senate: 1162 Explorers - 1180 Militarists - 3 Apolitical (Mil +18 adv)
