STATE OF SPACE, 2090
I. IMPERIAL HOLDINGS
IA. Populated Colonies
Earth(1.92b, 542 CF, 130 OF, 75 REF, 54 RL, 4 AC, 3 GFT, 5 DSTS, 15.2k MF, 1 SP, 1 SC, 3x Alaska MB, Alaska 82 MB)
Mars(90.7m, Ticonderoga 82 SB, 1 TI)**
Luna(86.5m, Ticonderoga 82 SB, 2 TI)
Mercury(30.3m, 1 DSTS, Ticonderoga 82 SB)
Venus(21.1m, Ticonderoga 82 SB)
Titan(19.0m, 1 DSTS, Alaska MB)
New Genesis(150k, 3 CF)
Io(130k, Ticonderog 82 SB)
Europa(120k, Ticonderoga SB)
Ganymede(120k, Ticonderoga SB)
Callisto(120k, Ticonderoga 82 SB)
** Note: TI is new, stands for Terraforming Installation
Total Population: 2.17b(+10.7%)
Long-standing trends continued in the second half of the 2080s. The share of humanity living on Earth continues to slowly decline, aided by new technology slightly reducing infrastructure requirements in this case. The big news is the New Genesis colony in Luyten 726-8, less than three weeks old as of this writing.
IB. Outposts
Sedna(54 CMC, 14.1 eff, 18.5 kt) -- uridium(9.1)
Triton(117 AM, 20.3 eff, 5.99 kt) -- vendarite(7.2)
Earth(50 SM, 6.2 eff, 781 t)
Borrelly(39.8 AM, 32 eff, 2.29 kt) -- duranium(9.5)
Halley's Comet(36 AM, 33 eff, 2.35 kt) -- corbomite(4.0)
Reinmuth(33.8 AM, 30 eff, 1.83 kt) -- boronide(7.7)
Stephan-Oterma(28 AM, 25 eff, 1.26 kt)
Machholz(27.6 AM, 15 eff, 745 t) -- neutronium(8.7)
Neujmin(25.8 AM, 25 eff, 1.16 kt) -- duranium(0.9)
Titan(25 SM, 5.6 eff, 315 t)
Faye(25 AM, 14 eff, 630 t) -- sorium(6.8 )
Comas Sola(25 AM, 19 eff, 897 kt) -- tritanium(2.7), duranium(4.8 )
Schaumasse(21.8 AM, 36 eff, 1.48 kt) -- uridium(8.4)
Crommelin(20.4 AM, 26 eff, 954 t) -- sorium(5.1), duranium(8.8 )
Wolf-Harrington(17.8 AM, 40 eff, 1.34 kt) -- uridium(3.2), mercassium(9.5)
Whipple(17 AM, 43 eff, 1.38 kt) -- uridium(0.4)
Swift-Tuttle(15 AM, 71 eff, 1.92 kt) -- uridium(1.0), neutronium(7.7), boronide(9.9)
Tempel-Tuttle(14 AM, 40 eff, 1.16 kt)
Callisto(10 SM, 6 eff, 12 t)
Van Biesbroeck(10 AM, 55 eff, 990 t)
Prokne(10 AM, 6.4 eff, 115 t)
Wild(8 AM, 34 eff, 490 t)
Wolf(8 AM, 26 eff, 375 t)
Herschel-Rigollet(4 AM, 54 eff, 464 t) -- corbomite(1.9)
Total Production: 47.4 kt(+26%) Sedna has seen an explosion as noted elsewhere. A full one-third expansion of operations, advancements in mining techniques, and improved local management combined for an increase of 58% in the output from the dominant force in SPACE mining operations, despite the beginning of death throes for the uridium portion. Overall the mining sector annihilated the previous high of five years ago by more than a quarter.
IC. Mineral Supply & Usage
** With the new scrutiny being devoted to MRDs mineral assessment, a color-coded approach has been devised with five levels defined, replacing the original four with adjusted definitions. It is strongly emphasized here that the initial evaluation presented is fairly speculatory. Once a few years of supply and usage data come in, MRD will be able to make much more accurate determinations. **
White Status Minerals -- No shortfall is expected in the next century, regardless of expenditures. Essentially this is a level where we couldn't use it all if we tried.
** Sorium(64.4 kt stockpiled, 1.93 kt annual yield). Most current sources are expected to dry up in the next couple of decades, but this is tentatively considered irrelevant since it is rarely used industrially. The most likely scenario to change this probably is the possibility that a strategically important system without local fuel is discovered. In that scenario refineries might be transported there which would result in a massive change in usage. Barring that type of operation though, the status is extremely safe. Stockpiles have grown eight kilotons in the past five years, and consistently since the harvesters were deployed to Saturn decades ago.
** Uridium(150 kt, 8.55 kt). A massive 23-kiloton gain. Over three-quarters of the supply comes from Sedna, so this will stabilize when that expires sometime in the final year or two of the coming decade most likely. The sheer massive amount available makes it difficult to imagine any potential shipbuilding initiative draining it at this time.
** Corbomite(99.4 kt, 4.42 kt). A 20-kiloton gain and over half the supply comes from Triton, which has over half a megaton remaining and will see increased investment if anything due to the importance of it's duranium reserves. Combine that with the fact that it's one of the most rarely-used minerals and it's easy to see why corbomite is considered the safest at the present time. It's highly doubtful anyone alive today will live to see a time when it becomes the slightest concern.
Green Status Minerals -- These are considered safe for the next 20 years or so, but could potentially become concerns in the decades after that. They tend to be high-stockpile but also high-usage substances.
** Vendarite(77.4 kt, 1.79 kt). A healthy rise of 6 kt+ in the last five years, but Triton contributes more than half and when that runs out in the latter half of the next decade there will only be a relatively meager supply coming in. It sees fairly limited use in ship construction, espescially in the survey carriers. Given the magnitude of the stockpile even an eventual slow decline would be a very minor issue.
** Tritanium(59.7 kt, 3.48 kt). Aside from duranium, no other mineral comes in greater quantity. It is used fairly heavily but the greatest need is for ordnance factories which is a rare project and not one currently required. Some ship construction of course and it is used in other factories to a lesser degree, which will pretty much be a constant need for the forseeable future. The stockpile rose 7kt over the past five years, and it has a highly diversified group of fairly long-term sources.
Yellow Status Minerals -- These are those minerals which are generally around the 'tipping point'. There is enough for current needs, no further supplies are expected to be necessary for a decade or so, but not a big enough stockpile or enough current supply for long-term comfort. 'Bears watching' is the general approach here.
** Boronide(37.8 kt, 1.98 kt). Stagnant over the last cycle. There are not many sources, and over 30% of the supply, from Reinmuth and Swift-Tuttle, will go away in the coming decade. As the major building block material of fuel tanks, boronide will be needed in significant quantities indefinitely.
Amber Status Minerals -- These are those which are not yet at crisis point but where the current supply status will require a change, either investment or reduced production, within the next decade. These have a smallish stockpile and will mostly be in decline as well.
The big four minerals have now essentially become the big five with gallicite joining them as a significant concern.
** Mercassium(16.0 kt, 2.11 kt) A decline of 3.5 kt in the last five years. At that rate it would take about 23 years to run out. There are multiple long-term sources, but Wolf-Harrington will deplete around the turn of the century and others may see mines diverted to increase duranium supply.
** Gallicite(19.2 kt, 796t) Falling like a rock(-12 kt) mostly because this is by far the lowest-yield mineral right now. There's just not much coming in. Until that changes further missile production is pretty much an impossibility which greatly limits military options.
** Corundium(8.83 kt, 1.13 kt). Mostly stagnant, up a few hundred tons during the last cycle. It's really a case of limited supply here again, and of course the need for automines will have basically no forseeable end so it's a priority. Even more fun is that among the current sources, only Herschel-Rigollet is expected to still be one in twenty years. New Genesis will bring in more from a couple of decent comet sources around the Luyten system by then, but that's just a stopgap.
** Duranium(27.3 kt, 18 kt). As mentioned duranium is sharply on the rise, but it is still listed here because it's a very temporary situation. Several comets amounting to multiple kilotons in annual yield will cease their contributions in the coming years, followed by the Sedna crash. There's no question duranium will be the epicenter around which MRD's efforts in the coming decades will revolve.
** Neutronium(16.2 kt, 3.16 kt). Effectively stagnant for decades now, neutronium is down 1.3 kt this past cycle. Multiple comets rich in the mineral and the present naval restrictions should keep it from being an urgent issue, though a significant source in Machholz is scheduled to deplete before the end of the decade/century. Additional investment will need to be made before a full naval ramp-up can ever happen though.
Red Status Minerals -- Less than a five-year supply. This is the emergency, immediate-action-required level.
** None at the present time.
ID. Income
Taxes(population): 58.4m
Taxes(civ. tourism): 23.9m
Taxes(civ. shipping): 7.29m
Taxes(civ. fuel): 329k
Total: 89.8m(+42%)
Improved financial administration resulted in considerably less waste, while the tourism sector continues to explode. Taxes on civilian spaceflight operations now account for over a third of all income, ensuring a limitless future in terms of finances for SPACE. The mineral crisis is definitely not reflected in this sector.
Balance: 947m(+136 m)
IE. Expenses
Mineral Purchases: 13.2m
Research: 12.8m
Shipbuilding: 10.5m
Installation Construction: 6.2m
Maintenance Facilities: 1.48m
PDC Construction: 1.34m
Shipyard Modifications: 1.23m
Ordnance Production: 672k
GU Maintenance: 602k
Maintenance Supplies: 153k
Total: 48.2m(+18%)
The hilariously large gap between income and expenses is expected to do nothing but grow as raw materials become more and more of a determiner. Sedna's minerals are over a quarter of current outlays, and when that goes away and as naval operations are minimized, expenses will be only a third to a half of income at most in the projections. If only all of SPACE operations were so healthy.
II. SHIPYARDS
IIA. Commercial Yards
Estalerios Navais do Montego(ENDM)(2 slipways, 171 kt capacity)
** Idle
Tod & MacGregor(2 slipways, 166 kt capacity)
** Idle
P&A Group(6, 101 kt)
** Idle
Vegesacker Werft(1, 66.5 kt)
** Idle
Howaldswerke/Deutsche Werft(HDW)(1, 55.3 kt)
** Building CS Pineda, second of the Spruance colony ships
Oregon Shipbuilding(2, 50.7 kt)
** Idle
Vickers-Armstrong(4, 17.4 kt)
** Idle
Kvaerner-Masa(1, 10 kt)
** Idle
IIB. Naval Yards
Wartsila(1, 17.6 kt)
** Idle.
Yokohama Dock Co.(1, 15.2 kt)
** Idle.
Baltimore Marine(2, 12.2 kt)
** Idle.
Permanant(1, 10.1 kt)
** Idle
C. Mitchell & Co.(1, 6.53 kt)
** Idle
Niehuis and van den Berg(3, 4.14 kt)
** Adding fourth slipway(October 2090), building Guardian(February 2090)
International(2, 4.14 kt)
** Idle
KSEC(4, 1.66 kt)
** Building Caldwell(J)(x2), April 2090
Krohn(3, 1 kt)
** Building Forrestal(x3), various times
There's a lot of bored workers, a fact that won't change anytime soon due to the mineral crash.
III. ARMY TRAINING FACILITIES
IIIA. Earth
** Three active training facilities
** All three idle
IV. INDUSTRIAL ACTIVITY
IVA. Earth
Research Lab(20%) -- November 2090. Under the division of fifths the rate is one every 13-14 months. Inadequate, but it's something.
Automated Mines(19%) -- About 9/year.
Construction Factories(12%) -- These will be built pretty much indefinitely at this point for industrial expansion & colonization startups. 10-11/year.
PDC Alaska 82(9%) -- A little over two bases left for Earth, late 2098 is the current ETA.
Mass Driver(7%) -- Three remaining, early 2091
Military Academy(6%) -- Summer 2091
Naval Shipyard(6%) -- Final 'reserve' one, mid-2092
Prefab PDC Alaska 82(5%) -- An upgraded base for Titan, September 2090
Terraforming Installation(4%) -- 2091
Commercial Shipyards(4%) -- Also a final 'reserve' shipyard, March 2092
Prefab PDC Ticonderoga 82(2%) -- Final one for the moment, intended for New Genesis. Ready in April.
DSTS(2%) -- July 2090
Maintenance Supplies(2%) -- Still over 1,000 tons needed. Mid-2091.
Infrastructure(1%) -- Mid-2095 for the current run.
A lot of projects are close to wrapping up.
V A. PRIORITY RESEARCH PROJECTS
** Divisional HQ(Alphonse Lambeth) -- October/November 2090
** Ceramic Composite Armour(Deborah Barnhouse) -- December 2090/January 2091
** Capacitor Recharge Rates(Norris Gunterman) -- December 2090/January 2091
** Freighter Jump Drive(Jerry Bartholf) -- Early 2091
** Missile Tracking(Julio Kuchler) -- Early 2092
** Thermal Sensor Sensitivity(Bessie Wallander) -- Late 2092/Early 2093
** Colonization Cost Reduction(John Dangel) -- Early 2094
There's almost no prototyping going on right now, it's all big-picture stuff aimed at the long-term.
V B. NOTABLE SCIENTISTS
** Biology/Genetics
Noble Stephson(Accomplished)
** Construction/Production
Carmelo Costanza(Accomplished)
Lena Bohannan(Accomplished)
** Energy Weapons
Leonel Wessels(Accomplished)
Minh Klausner(Accomplished)
Freddy Salsgiver(Accomplished)
** Logistics/Ground Combat
John Dangel(Elite)
Alphonse Lambeth(Elite)
Stanley Kogut(Accomplished)
** Missiles/Kinetic Weapons
None!
** Power/Propulsion
Norris Gunterman(Elite)
David Gruis(Accomplished)
Alejandro Otteson(Accomplished)
Reynaldo Darrington(Accomplished)
Irving Steinmeyer(Accomplished)
** Sensors/Fire Control
Julio Kuchler(Elite)
Bessie Wallander(Elite)
Overall it's been a great five years for the Research Directorate. Most of the holes have been filled. Biogenetics is weak but nobody really cares. There's a couple of construction researchers on their way up, logistics is a strength again, and the propulsion field has absurd quality depth. Missile research is still the biggest problem, though it ironically doesn't matter quite as much with the problems in acquiring enough gallicite to build any. Another emerging issue is that the vital sensors field is very top-heavy. Kuchler and Wallander are both in their mid-50s so this isn't a problem now, but could become one if no fresh blood emerges.
VI. ACTIVE NAVAL ASSETS
VI A. Military Bases
Alaska(4, 59.5 kt, 1020 crew, major missile base)
Alaska 82(1, 22.7kt, 709 crew, major missile base)
Ticonderoga 82(6, 3.7kt, 24 crew, sensor base)
Ticonderoga(2, 3.0kt, 16 crew, sensor base)
Total: 13 installations(-13%), 289 kt(-16%), 4.97k crew(-12%)
Two Ticondergoa upgrades remain, and most of the Alaska's are yet to be replaced. The old Tennessee bases have been swept away.
VI B. Combat Ships
GB Brooklyn '72(4, 13.5 kt, 356 crew, 2379 km/s, 1.75 m fuel, beam-armed)
GB Brooklyn '81(2, 10.5 kt, 282 crew, 2380 km/s, 1.25 m fuel, beam-armed)
MC Guardian(5, 1.9 kt, 85 crew, 947 km/s, 50k fuel, jump defense missile corvette)
MB Nimitz(3, 14 kt, 373 crew, 2437 km/s, 1.75m fuel, missile-armed)
MB Nimitz '76c(4, 10.3 kt, 273 crew, 2439 km/s, 1.25 m fuel, missile-armed)
Total: 18 ships(+50%), 168 kt(+14%), 4.62k crew(+18%), 20m fuel(+8%)
The new Guardians will soon to be ready to take up postions at the jump points, while the others will remain at Earth.
VI C. Military Non-combat Ships
DC Ambassador(1, 800t, 18 crew, 1.5k km/s, 150k fuel, diplomatic jump shuttle)
CC Baltimore(2, 10 kt, 284 crew, 600 km/s, 750k fuel, command carrier)
ST Caldwell 84i(12, 950t, 15 crew, 3.32k km/s, 500k fuel, VIP-grade jump shuttle)
MV Cleveland 84i(2, 2.0 kt, 28 crew, 3k km/s, 50k fuel, supply ship)
SC Explorer(6, 850 t, 18 crew, 1411 km/s, 250k fuel, jump scout)
SB Forrestal III(14, 650 t, 14 crew, 3.69k km/s, 50k fuel, jump point sensor vessel)
SB Forrestal 88i(6, 650 t, 13 crew, 5.54k km/s, 100k fuel, jump point sensor vessel)
GSV Frontier(8, 950 t, 24 crew, 1263 km/s, 250k fuel, gravsurvey)
SVC Gearing(2, 10 kt, 158 crew, 600 km/s, 750k fuel, survey carrier)
ST George Washington(4, 1.15 kt, 27 crew, 1.57k km/s, 350k fuel, general-use jump shuttle)
GEV Prospector(6, 950 t, 24 crew, 1263 km/s, 250k fuel, geosurvey)
CO Tarawa 84 i(2, 6.0 kt, 66 crew, 1k km/s, 100k fuel, supply ship)
Total: 65 ships(-9.8%), 84.2 kt(-21%), 2.16k crew(-2.3%), 17.2 m fuel(-31%)
The shrinking of the shuttle fleet and the lower fuel required are the big stories here.
VI D. Commercial Vessels
TT Arleigh Burke 84i(6, 17.3 kt, 127 crew, 695 km/s, 250k fuel, brigade troop transport)
FT Fletcher 84i(2, 35.9 kt, 153 crew, 1002 km/s, 250k fuel, freighter)
FT Gato(2, 7.0 kt, 33 crew, 857 km/s, 100k fuel, small freighter)
TK Iowa 84i(4, 8.5 kt, 44 crew, 1.41k km/s, 5m fuel, fuel tanker)
TK Iowa XR(2, 9.7 kt, 53 crew, 1.03k km/s, 6m fuel, extended range fuel tanker)
TK Iowa 84i XR(2, 8.55 kt, 44 crew, 1.4k km/s, 5m fuel, extended range fuel tanker)
FH Long Beach(41, 80.8 kt, 429 crew, 445 km/s, 2.0m fuel, fuel harvester)
FJ North Carolina 87i(2, 168 kt, 995 crew, 715 km/s, 1.5m fuel, large commercial jump ship)
TT Portland 84i(2, 4.35 kt, 39 crew, 1.38k km/s, 50k fuel, troop transport)
FT South Carolina 84i(6, 163 kt, 487 crew, 735 km/s, 1.5m fuel, superfreighter)
CS Spruance 85i(1, 52.2 kt, 299 crew, 920 km/s, 550k fuel, colony ship)
SV Wickes 84i(1, 21.7 kt, 191 crew, 829 km/s, 250k fuel, salvage/recovery)
Total: 71 ships(+16%), 4.97 mt(+25%), 24.6k crew(+26%), 139m liters fuel(+55%)
A couple of the old Iowa's have yet to be retired, but mostly the growth here was in finishing up the new Long Beach harvesters.
Grand Total: 167 assets(+4.4%), 5.51 mt(+20%), 36.4k crew(+16%), 176m liters fuel(+32%)
The fuel number can be a bit misleading since almost half of it is contained in the harvesters alone.
Available Crew: 210k(+24%)
VI E. Fuel Status
Earth -- 43.1m liters
Titan -- 39.9m
Callisto -- 4.83m
Total -- 87.8m liters(+263%!!) An explosion in supply due to two factors: the expansion of the massive harvester operations, and detanking fuel from ships that are now equipped with more efficient ion-based engines. It would appear that fuel problems are over for the moment.
VII. ACTIVE ARMY ASSETS
** Brigade HQs(6)
** Construction Brigades(10)
** Assault Infantry Battalions(4)
** Mobile Infantry Battalions(12)
** Garrison Battalion(34)
Total Active-Duty Soldiers: 530k(+10%)
The current force is more or less stable for now, though garrisons will periodically be sent out-system from time to time.
VIII. CIVILIAN SHIPPING CORPORATIONS
Tolles Transport & Logistics(89 ships, 13.6m annual income)
Jensrud Transport and Trading(77, 8.84m)
Voliva Carrier Company(92, 7.03m)
Ridolfi Interstellar(9, 1.52m)
Hayter Container Group(3, 210k)
Suter Shipping Services(2, 160k)
Ouellet Shipping(2, 147k)
Everton Shipping & Logistics(3, 120k)
Elman Freight Services(3, 90k)
Dyett Freight Company(2, 40k)
Clavette Shipping Line(2, 20k)
Forbius Carrier Limited(1, 20k)
Total Vessels: 285(+40%)
Total Civilian Income: 31.8m(+57%)
The civilian economy has grown to the point where the rising tide is indeed lifting all ships -- well most of them at least. There were only three effectively defunct small carriers compared to six in the last cycle. Ridofli not-truly-Interstellar continues to grow, showing it has designs on joining the big boys, and Tolles is increasingly dominant, with a fleet nearly as large as bloated Voliva. For the second straight cycle, gross income is up more than half.
IX. SPACE LEADERSHIP PROSPECTUS
** Naval Officers: 214 of 233 assigned(92%), +3%
** Ground Forces Officers: 70 of 80(88%), +12%
** Civilian Administrators: 33 of 45(73%), -5%
** Scientists: 27 of 43(63%), -15%
Overall: 344 of 401(85.7%), +2.1%
It's a good time to be in the military, but prospects for civilians have rarely been bleaker.