And (drumroll please...) Here is the final update.
Enjoy.
1992
Saipan mass driver begins commercial operation for lower cost satellite/station component launch.
U.S. Congress passes bill funding permanent Lunar base. Funding is almost 80% out of defense budget as Earth based nuclear forces are eliminated and replaced by smaller number of space based weapons.
Youth movement, “New Homeland” makes its first appearance in German Administrative regions, with the largest and best organized group coming from Stettin University. With virtually 100% of the protesters having been born since the end of the War, it draws interest from other European youth who share the desire to be “rid of their grandparents mistakes”. While peaceful, the movement is a cause for concern as its stated goal is “bringing us back together”. Four Administrative regions immediately ban the movement, declaring it a menace to public safety.
Saipan Mass driver begin monthly launches of components for use on Moon.
Apache Dancer XXIV delivers first load of materials to Luna on November 24th. This trip marks the end of the groundbreaking Apache Dancer Program which has delivered some 23 Humans to the Lunar surface.
After nearly three decades of sometimes fitful construction the Quarantine Barriers surround Berlin and Nuremberg are declared complete. Comprised of three concrete walls six meters in height spaced twenty meter apart with paved roadways between to allow vehicle patrolling each wall has only three entry portals. It is expected that the Barriers will need to remain in place for at least 300 years, although some experts are of the opinion that the areas within the walls will never be truly safe for unprotected humans. One of the designers of the barrier is quoted as saying “we are not training a guard force, we are establishing a priesthood” when asked about how the Barrier maintenance will be handled.
French elections find ruling Nationalist Party losing seats to Christian Democrats and Realists. While neither Party gets more than 15% of the seats in the National Assembly and even fewer in the Senate, both out poll the main ultra nationalist Reunion Party, dropping it to the fifth line on the ballot.
Neil Davidson, Democrat and holder of a Medal of Honor earned on Red Beach 3, defeats President Barnes in closest vote in recent American history. Davidson wins by only three electoral votes. Congressional races are similarly close, with the Senate remaining Democrat 51-49 with two Freedom Party members who chose to caucus with the Democrats and the House having a two seat Republican majority.
1993
Lunar Shuttle I conducts its first trans-lunar test flight. Constructed in orbit at Manned Orbital Lab 5 it is the first human designed and built vehicle that is entirely incapable of reaching the Earth’s surface making it the first true “spacecraft”.
Inderjit Kaur and Gurlal Singh become first humans to land on “Dark Side” of Luna. While lacking the raw drama of the earlier missions to the Moon due to lack of live TV coverage, the landing is hailed as a consummate technical achievement by experts around the world.
UK conducts second plebiscite in Continental Crown Dependencies. Results are somewhat surprising in that 22% of electorate vote for full union with Britain as a nation within United Kingdom under conditions similar to those governing relations between England and Scotland. Analysis of the voting pattern shows that this choice has supplanted the independence vote and that the full union option has over 80% support among voters under the age of 40, while reunion with France has scant support except among those over the age of 70, where reunion is favored by 34% of those polled.
Indian/Chinese relations are complicated by India’s refusal to back a Soviet/Chinese plan to end all contact with the “Imperialist West”. Despite this considerable setback, Chinese forces conduct a series of military maneuvers close to British and Portuguese territory while official Chinese media outlets call for the expulsion of all foreign “squatters”. Red army units conduct similar activities near the Russian/Soviet frontier, prompting the Tsar’s Government to bring its British trained and equipped forces to high alert. Showing a surprising degree of common sense, Red Army forces conduct no maneuvers within 300 kilometers of the U.S./Soviet border.
For the first time since the war, European deaths from all the diseases used as bio weapons by the Reich falls below 5,000. Deaths from Anthrax also reach a post war low across the former German state as new, more effective anti-biotic formulas become widely available
1994
Mid Term U.S. elections feature the election of the first Freedom Party representative not from Western Alaska, as Wyoming goes Freedom after a wild three way contest.
Lunar Shuttle III make first Lunar landing by new design. Capable of supporting up to five astronauts on Luna for seven days and with nearly twice the cargo capacity of the Dancer Lander, it provides a platform for serious construction efforts of the permanent U.S. Lunar base. Designed to be reusable (a term that proves to be somewhat optimistic as close to a third of the Lander requires replacement or renovation after each mission) the Lander and its eventual five siblings are the heart of an extremely ambitious USAF led lunar construction project.
Saipan mass driver begins to launch construction materials for lunar base project on bi-weekly basis
India establishes the first long term undersea habitat for researchers near the Andaman Islands. The habitat is the first step in what India expects to be both a scientific and commercially lucrative program.
1995
Lockheed Martin completes “military use only” mass driver complex at Andersen AFB, Guam.
UN and India negotiate new codicil to Law of the Seas that covers commercial exploitation of deep sea resources. New agreements also establish extremely strong protection for wreck sites of warships and of vessels sunk during wartime, as well as blanket protection for all wrecks resting at depths greater than 5,000 feet/1,500 meters. Surprisingly, France expresses interesting in becoming a party to the overall Treaty. This apparent softening of French positions toward relations with the “Western Allies” is greeted with considerable optimism.
Small but vocal “Tax Relief” movement begins in U.S. with members questioning the need for “Buck Rogers” defense spending.
Brazilian auto import sales exceed the total sales of Chrysler for the first time.
New Homeland Party takes control of legislature in two German Administrative regions. Incidents of violence toward occupation forces, mainly rock throwing and barricades increase across all 15 regions.
Sales of small electronics imported from South America exceed 50% of total sales in the U.S. and roughly 30% of world-wide sales.
With the “personal computer” having entered the home of roughly one U.S. household in 10, and with even greater percentages in Canada, the U.S. government enables civilian access to a heretofore government/military only communication system that allows computers to send data packets. While little noticed at the time, this is the birth of “The Grid”, that boon and bane to today’s productivity and communication.
1996
Australian Space Launch Facility open near Darwin. Launch systems are Lockheed Martin designs built in partnership with Australian aerospace industry.
Serious border skirmishes erupt between Russia and the USSR in late March. RAF aircraft, in supports of Russian Army troops and their British advisors conduct the largest series of raids sine the Liberian police action.
Despite heavy losses Red Army forces continue probing attacks and artillery duels until June 23rd when four flights of SB-1 dipped out of the lower edge of the exosphere over Krasnoyarsk and droped canisters containing leaflets and loose playing cards. The cards are, significantly, from heavy bomber squadrons from all of the A4 nations. The cards, all Ace of Spades emblazoned with the symbols of the respective bomber groups on the back, are generally known as “Death Cards”, traditionally left by American Army Rangers at the sites of ambushes “so the %^#& knew who came to visit”. The message of the cards, especially delivered by aircraft that Soviet air defenses were not even aware of until they left trailing sonic booms is crystal clear, even to the most hide bound Politburo member. By June 25th Red Army provocations cease and by July 1st no Red Army formation greater than company size can be seen on A4 satellite photos within 100 kilometers of the border.
President Davidson is reelected with 57% of the popular vote. The Freedom Party gains an additional seven seats in the House, raising its total to 9 as voters increasingly endorse the Party’s pro-Defense platform even as several House seats change hands in New England with advocates of lowering the income tax rate to below 65% defeating “stay the course” candidates.
French Elections find 29% of the National Assembly seats going to Christian Democrats, 15% to Realists. The Reunion Party has its worst poll results since 1964 with members managing to hold onto only 4% of the seats in the Assembly. Christian Democrats also gain 19 seats in the French Senate.
1997
First habitat structure for U.S. lunar bas is completed. Facility allows construction teams to take off suits and move around in low pressure structure. Main achievement is actually knowledge gained in construction itself, including practical application of theories related to digging and assembly of parts pre fabricated in orbit.
Indian Navy established deepest underwater habitat to date some 285 meters below the surface off the coast of Ceylon.
First long term (28 days) team of residents arrives on Luna. Lunar Lander IV is kept on site to act as emergency shelter. Construction of next two habitats continues.
Andersen AFB mass driver launches first cargo of low level nuclear waste into orbit following six successful tests with inert cargos. Once in orbit waste casket directed into an orbit that ensures that it will never return to Earth. Long term plans are to eventually boost the waste into a flight path that will result in the waste falling into the Sun or out of the Solar System entirely.
Islam Separatist Party makes major inroads in Indian elections. Several fundamentalist Hindu parties also manage to establish a politically noticeable presence
1998
USAF formally commissions LeMay AFB, first permanent manned lunar base.
The Marianas, site of several strategic U.S. assets, become 52nd U.S. state. New state has the 3rd smallest population but the largest total area as it encompasses wide swath of Central and South Pacific. Proponents of statehood note that Guam has consistently voted for statehood for nearly a century, as has Saipan since 1952, noting that area is critical to the defense of the United States of America and has a very high veteran population.
Flag fanatics, long driven to despair by the odd 51 star design, rejoice as things are once again evened out.
Tax reduction movement, having been unable to make headway in Congress turns its attention to state and local tax issues. In a major coup, a Proposition reducing residential property taxes by 50% passes in Claifornia. A similar measure, aimed at commercial property, fails to gain the needed majority, falling some 5,000 votes short of passage.
Mid term elections show increasing split among American electorate with both traditional parties experiencing leakage of members to the Freedom Party and to the new “Liberal Democrats”. The Liberal Democrats espouse policies that are the mirror image of Freedom (lower defense spending, reduction if American interference abroad, with savings channeled into social programs). The mixture, along with members of the traditional parties attempting to solidify their voting base, makes for some of the liveliest debates on the House Floor since before the Civil War. Fortunately, unlike during that rather turbulent point in American history, no fist fights break out on the Chamber Floor.
USN, taking full advantage of experience gained at LeMay AFB begins construction of O’Hare NAS.
1999
RCAF/RAF module opens at Lemay AFB.
USN reduces active CNBG to eight, leaving the U.S. with the lowest number of active aircraft carriers since 1943.
New Homeland Party organized massive demonstrations across much of Western Europe, drawing large crowds with its message of renewal and “look to the future, not the past!”
Third and last solar collection farm open to provide power to LeMay AFB Luna. Thanks to extensive efforts made to improve solar array efficiency in terrestrial applications, the sites on Luna reach breakthrough performance
2000
Darwin Launch complex open 4th and final mass driver. With completion of last track, Darwin facility now boasts almost half of the global orbital launching facilities. With ready access to Solar energy farms and three nuclear reactors, Darwin facility is also most cost effective facility in operation.
Riots break out at a Dutch “European Renewal” rally in Rotterdam following several weeks of increasingly loud debate between members of European Renewal (a spin off of New Homeland) and more conservative parties which oppose the idea of “European Unity” (which are recipient of considerable support, much of it behind the scenes, from the UK & U.S.). While no one is killed damage is estimated to exceed $2,000,000 due to fires and looting in the chaos.
Moderate Democrat Melissa Anderson is elected as the first female President of the United States. Election is also the first since 1872 where more than three candidates receive votes in the Electoral College, with Freedom landing three votes and the Liberal Democrats having a single vote cast. Legislative voting is equally spread out, with neither major party gaining a clear majority.
2001
USN commissions O’Hare NAS, Luna.
Nationalist government in France loses Presidency and control of Assembly to coalition of Liberal Democrats and Realists. Shortly after taking office French President formally renounces France’s claims to overseas departments that have long since declared their independence and indicates willingness to “normalize relations” with A4.
2002
U.S. mid term elections results indicate continued growth in support for third Parties and increasing unhappiness among voters due to recent “economic slowdown”
UK conducts third plebiscite in Continental Crown Dependencies. Results show that 48% of electorate desires full union with Britain as a nation within United Kingdom. With progressively fewer older voters remaining (less than 4% of the voters casting ballots were old enough to remember pre-war France).
2003
Indian undersea miners make first commercially viable extractions from “Black Smokers” located in international waters near Java. Operating at depths far below those accessible to humans, the extraction work is conducts by remote controlled submersibles.
Launch silo construction for USAF 1st Space Deterrent wing completed 5 months ahead of schedule.
RAN module completed at O’Hare NAS, Luna.
2004
Installation of 54th and final Raptor MIRV missile completed at LeMay AFB.
United States decommissions last 12 ground based ICBM.
Melissa Anderson reelected as President. Republics gain control of the House by partnering with Freedom Party members.
2005
1st successful test of Large Mass Driver (after four failures) located at O’Hare NAS, Mare Imbrium, Luna. System is “designed to allow transport of materials and personnel from lunar surface to both Lunar and Earth Orbit for habitat and ship construction”.
2006.
New Homelands begins drive to have European signatories to the Barcelona Treaty denounce the permanent dismemberment of Germany. Using slogan “Together Europe can not fail”, this effort, and its underlying “Europe IS Equal” message begins to gain momentum across the Western part of the Continent whose population looks at the economic miracles of Brazil, Argentina, and especially India with open enevy.
2007
Prussian Uprising begins on April 11th with carefully planned attacks on Polish occupation forces. Rebels are found to be using weapons originating in China, although tracing their movement from Asia to Stettin proves to be impossible. After five days of fighting, as Polish and Philippine forces seem to be gaining the upper hand against the rebels, all Treaty troops suddenly withdraw from Stettin at sunset on April 16th.
At 03:52 local time, April 17th, the first of three 10 ton kinetic warheads strike Stettin after 60 hour transit from O’Hare NAS. Each package enters Earth’s atmosphere at slightly under 20,000 miles per hour (having accelerated following entry into Earth’s gravity well) with initial weight of 23,000 pounds. Each package loses roughly 10% of total mass (mostly ablative ceramic tiles) from friction of entering atmosphere. Average CEP is under 1,000 meters from aim point. Total energy released per impact is estimated at 57.5 kilotons. Impacts cause negligible radiation release above normal background. City of Stettin, population 275,000 is virtually obliterated.
Surviving rebels surrender to Philippine forces on April 19th.
Prussian/UN war ends on April 20th.
UN Supreme Council, with India abstaining, affirms that U.S. strike was fully justified under terms of Barcelona Treaty that ended WW II.
U.S. mothballs last active SSBN.
2008
Europe IS Equal movement collapses as it is linked to Prussian insurgents.
India abrogates mutual defense treaty with China based on intelligence showing Chinese collaboration with Prussian insurgents. China’s claims of innocence fall on deaf ears.
UN member states all reduce diplomatic presence in both China and the USSR, as mounting evidence is found linking both countries to Prussian War.
USSR agrees to settle all disputes regarding territory with Russia. Agreement is heavily in Tsar’s favor, and eliminate one of the world’s hottest friction points.
Construction of second Mass driver is completed at O’Hare NAS, Luna.
Construction of Mass driver complex begins at LeMay AFB, Luna.
A4 powers decree that all future orbital cargoes must be launched using A4 launchers. Decree promises that launch costs will be maintained below current per pound cost of launching of satellites or manned systems by non-A4 countries. Same decree flatly states that any unauthorized launch over 65 miles altitude will be considered direct act of war.
2009
USN (Orbital) Mars Explorer vehicle begins construction despite some Congressional budget hawk protests.
USSR agrees to withdraw all military forces from Demilitarized Zone along its side of the U.S./Soviet border to depth of 300 kilometers and allows U.S. unlimited right of overflight to monitor compliance.
2010
USAF/USN orbital forces redesignated as Space Command (Joint). (Joint) is immediately ignored by global media.
Continental Crown Dependencies sign full Treaty of Union with United Kingdom after two years of closely held negotiations with the Dependencies and with Lyon.
Freedom Party, fueled by recent events in Prussia and its aftermath, captures more seats in House than either the Republican or Democrats in mid-term elections.
2012
Planned launch of Space Command research mission to Mars.
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