APPENDIX: Historical Timeline
2027: Comet P/2027 Saini discovered by amateur astronomer
2032: Path of Comet P/2027 Saini analyzed and determined to bear a significant risk of collision with Earth, comet renamed Shiva
2034: Shiva calculated to have ~50% chance of collision with Earth in 2055, damage estimated to be comparable to the Cretaceous-Paleogene impact event
2036: Treaty of Cooperation for the Future of Humanity (popularly called Co-Op Treaty) signed by nearly all nations, with two major goals: alter the path of Shiva to spare Earth, and execute a plan for humanity’s future in case the first goal fails. Major hostilities on Earth cease (with a small but vocal, and largely religious, opposition to the Co-Op Treaty)
2043: Operation Deflect team lands on Shiva and begins ejection of comet mass at high speeds
2043: First permanent facility, named Sanctuary, founded on Luna
2044-2050: Numerous small, free-floating habitats established in orbit around Earth or near-Earth orbit around the Sun, largely by the ultra-wealthy
2050: Advances made in life extension; average human lifespan ~90
2054: First permanent habitation founded on Mars
2055: Operation Deflect is successful; Shiva passes within 100 thousand miles of Earth
2055: CoOp Treaty signatories extend close ties, Union of Earth formed, commits to continuing colonization of the solar system
2060: Off-Earth population: ~2000 on Luna, ~500 on Mars, ~1500 on free-float habitats
2071: First permanent habitation founded on asteroid Ceres
2071-83: Numerous small permanent and semi-permanent habitations established on asteroids
2087: First permanent habitation founded on Mercury
2087-2094: Numerous organizations advocating independence from Earth control founded on Luna, Mars, and elsewhere
2100: Off-Earth population: ~10K on Luna, ~10K on Mars, ~500 on Mercury, ~10K elsewhere
2100: Average human lifespan ~100, 85 year old adults are as physically capable as 65 year olds in 2000
2114-2133: DarkSide telescope array on Luna identifies numerous extrasolar planets and satellites-of-planets with signs of liquid water and possibly life, including moon of a planet orbiting red dwarf star Gliese 876
2101-2151: Habitations founded on numerous moons of Jupiter and Saturn
2137: Population of Luna votes to continue ties to Earth, population of Mars votes for complete, amicable independence
2138: Martian Declaration of Independence signed and delivered to Earth, Earth leaders promise objective and respectful response
2138-2139: Evidence found of weapons provided by Earth to anti-independence forces on Mars, Martian Civil War fought between pro- and anti-Independence forces, ~400 casualties, Independence forces victorious, major political scandal on Earth ends the careers of numerous politicians including President of the Union of Earth, new administration apologizes to the newly independent Mars
2141: Society for a New Humanity (SNH) founded on Ceres, advocating a “clean start” for humanity free from the influence and bloody history of Earth
2139-2153: DarkSide array verifies evidence of photosynthesis on dozens of extrasolar bodies, including a moon (named Samwise) of the gas giant planet Gliese 876c (now called Abhoth)
2161: Luna declares independence from Earth and separates peacefully
2171: Forwood drive invented — the first propulsion technology that would enable space travel to other star systems within a human lifetime
2178: Direct imaging by DarkSide array shows oceans as well as indigo-colored vegetation blanketing continents on moon of Gliese 876c called Samwise
2184: SNH draws up plans for colony ship to Samwise
2191: SNH begins construction of colony ship, ostensibly as a large, mobile, free-floating habitat, called Aotea, in the asteroid belt
2200: Off-Earth population ~50K on Luna, ~5M on Mars, ~200K on Mercury, ~500K elsewhere; most celestial bodies and free-floating habitations with more than a few thousand inhabitants are self-governing
2200: Average human lifespan ~120, natural limit appears to be ~150 years; with cloned organ replacements and other therapies, the very wealthy may live past 200, staying fit and active for most of their lives.
2202: SNH makes public colony plans for Samwise, to be funded by many sources including by volunteer colonists as well as volunteer genetic donors; they receive a very large response
2211: First “colonists” take residence on Aotea, construction and funding continue
2221: First baby born on Aotea
2237: Aotea departs for Samwise; ETA ~2292