Modern Day
2005 The US aggressively pursues a program to put a man on Mars.

2010 Man sets foot on Mars using conventional rocket technology. The journey takes over 7 months.

2015 Several Earth governments begin construction of interplanetary "shuttles" intended to explore and colonize the Solar System. Limited colonization takes place over the next forty years.

Quantum Age
2018 Major understandings in quantum physics break open entire new fields of exploration, including applications in space travel.

2025 A single cesium atom is successfully transported 10 feet through a "quantum tunnel" in a laboratory. This is fundamentally different from the "teleportation" experiments done during the turn of the century which merely "copied" matter – using quantum tunnels, scientists actually transport the exact same matter to a different location.

2032 A milligram of iron is successfully transported to the surface of the Moon using the combined total output of 25 fission reactors.

2050 First successful living mass tests with Quantum Tunnel technology. First insects, then mice and larger animals are used.

2055 Monkeys are successfully "tunneled" to a receiving base on Mars. Human trials begin.

2061 A human team is deposited on Neptune's moon Triton using Quantum Tunnel technology. The journey takes .26 seconds.

2062 A research base is established on Triton to explore interstellar travel.

Colonization

2108 The first extra-solar human colony is established on a planet in the nearby Alpha Centauri system. The enormous energy cost dwarfs any previous endeavors, forcing scientists to explore cheaper alternatives to sending large teams and their equipment such vast distances.

2110 Earth is united as a single government with a bold new vision of expansion to the stars. Advancements in artificial intelligence, nano-technology and biological engineering give rise to a massive colonization program using a new approach: to conserve the energy of transmission, a seed population of 1000 bio-engineered human DNA patterns is sent along with a single human sealed in a utility exosuit. On-board nano-fabricators are able to use mass and energy gathered at the destination site to construct an automated creche for the development of the seed population. Raised by AI and their own bio-engineered skills embedded in their DNA, the colonists begin a rapid program of technological development and population growth to establish a Quantum Gate nework between the initial three "alpha" colonies.

2284 The first sixteen colonies, later known as the Prime Worlds, are successfully established. During the following century, the Earth government adjusts to remotely governing an empire of colonies connected by Quantum Gates. Over this period, they prove their ability to establish and maintain quick and reliable communication and commerce across interstellar distances, effectively govern across those distances, and militarily enforce its laws, trade, population and social programs. The Earth Command, the interstellar military arm of the Earth Empire, fully comes into its own.

2316 The First Great Expansion begins. All colonies of the Prime Worlds begin their own colonization. The Earth government further refines their use of social, economic, genetic and political programs to maintain order and control. To keep pace with the rapidly-expanding empire, limited-capability military suits are derived from the exosuits used in colonization. Instead of nano-fabricating colonization equipment, these suits create limited autonomous military units controlled by a human Commander. As such, lower numbers of EarthCom personnel are required to enforce order compared to the older "human-heavy" systems. Throughout the colonization period, the EarthCom is called on to quell all manners of disturbances ranging from colony disputes to full rebellions, with minimal loss of EarthCom life.

2525 The Second Expansion begins. Over 110 colonies begin their own colonization efforts. So far, no intelligent alien life has ever been found; many now assume that there is no other intelligent life in the galaxy.

2557 A survey expedition to the distant world of Seraphim II, a promising planet over 50 times the size of Earth, does not reestablish contact within the standard window. A routine follow-up expedition is scheduled.

2590 A second expedition to Seraphim II is sent, but also does not reestablish contact with Earth. Seraphim II is marked HAZARD and added to the EarthCom's lengthening "investigate hazard" list. Due to increased unrest on the frontier, the EarthCom does not send investigation probes to a HAZARD world for over five years.