Current Era
The universe of Sol is set 600 years in the future, in the 27th century or the year 2600 C.E. Humanity has expanded from a single planet to having a presence on or around every single planet in the Sol System. Mercury, Venus, Mars, and Pluto have been terraformed to have Earth-like atmosphere and with some genetic enhancement humans have colonized them quickly. The other planets play host to multiple orbiting space stations and their moons have also been terraformed. The worlds inside the asteroid belt are firmly under control of the United Confederation of Sol, or the UCS, and are considered the core worlds where most of the human population lives and works. Outside the asteroid belt is more of a wild west where the military forces of the UCS often clash with bands of pirates and outlaws.
History
2024 C.E.
The first human exploration mission lands on Mars and begins the first extraterrestrial colony. This launches humanity into the true space age and the Space Race to colonize and populate the Moon begins. It’s an arms race of technology, with the major world powers each vying for superiority over the local celestial body.
2071 C.E.
After almost 50 years of technological cold war, tensions finally reaching a breaking point and explode into a third World War. The key commodity; presence on the ever growing territories of Mars and the newly renamed Luna. After 7 years of warfare, a truce is finally made that declares the colonies to be their own nation states.
2158 C.E.
When the Sol System faces imminent destruction by passing through an enormous asteroid field from a destroyed solar system, humanity finally bands together. Temporarily throwing aside all dividing factors in order to simply survive, humanity makes huge technological leaps forward. Developing an actually feasible electromagnetic shield system, Earth, Mars, and Luna create planetary shielding systems to protect their planets’ atmospheres. In spirit of this cooperation, humanity finally unites their government into the United Confederation of Sol. The UCS focuses on intrasolar expansion and colonizing the rest of the Sol System.
2160-2180 C.E.
Technology continues to drives forward at the speed of light. In two decades, humanity perfects artificial gravity and begins mass production of refined Ion Drives for sub light speed travel and Alcubierre drives for traversing the vast distances between planets and even moving between solar systems.
2197 C.E.
After reorganizing the government, the UCS starts terraforming operations on both Mars and Luna to finally create fully inhabitable planets.
2283 C.E.
Terraforming ends on Mars and Luna, and colonization explodes. A mass exodus occurs from Earth to the newly available planets, freeing up much of Earth’s remaining resources for the now decreased population. Within a few years, the Luna University of Technology becomes the forefront of scientific minds in the system and the UCS moves the bulk of its military training to the vast unused fields of Mars. Terraforming begins on the remaining terrestrial planets in Sol as well as the moons of the gas giants.
2295 C.E.
Piracy begins to take hold with ready availability of space craft. While these pirates and outlaws mainly find a home in the outer reaches of the solar system near the mining operations around Saturn and Jupiter, Venus also finds itself to be a hot bed of illicit activity. In response, the UCS begins mobilizing and designing highly weaponized warships.
2342 C.E.
The crime on Venus reaches a breaking point when a band of rebels and outlaws overthrows the elected parliament. A single man declares himself the Pirate King of Venus. His reign, however, lasts less than a year as the entire planet falls into disarray without an organized government. The UCS sweeps in to restore order and dispose of the Pirate King. The remains of the Pirate King’s hierarchy flee to the darkest edges of Sol.
2455 C.E.
Terraforming finally ends for all planets within the Sol System and a new, slower exodus begins as people find themselves new homes. The UCS refocuses themselves, eyes now set on expanding beyond the edges of the Sol System. Long term recon missions begin.
2621 C.E.
Current day. The terraformed core worlds are bustling planets, full of industry and commerce. Outlaws lurk in the darker parts of the system, around the edges of gas giants and space stations. And humanity is trying to discover if they are in fact the only intelligent life in the universe or if they are not quite so alone.