C. J. Cherryh - Alliance-Union Chronology: Part I

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This Chronology makes some use of abbreviations and shortenings. Also, certain ship designations change over time as technological advances are made. In order to make these files easier to view and smaller in size, the KEYs to these abbreviations and changes are placed in "pop-up" windows which you can keep open while you view the Chronology. The buttons for the keys will be on each page if you decide to close one and wish to view it later. Should you want to close the window, simply press the "close window" button.

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aCHRONOLOGY

2005 First star probe launched from Sol: designed to go near-C and to spread out; Alpha Station [SS1: Barnard's Star] chosen as lying nearest a promising starfield; first data will be received in year 2019

2008 Plans made to convert existing technology to a starmodule by using new engine complex as return ship, while dumping the highmass starstation unit into permanent starstation unit into permanent orbit.
Probe separation on schedule

2009 Advance in propulsion

2013 Study approved and funded

2019 Data received from first star probe at Alpha Station [SS1: Barnard's Star] to scheduled LOS

2020 Funding increase from Sol
Design changed to accommodate possible threestage or larger mission, with separable modules each capable of using one of the engine modules as a pusher to put the unit into place; or using the engine module as a ship, thus creating a safety redundancy in the case of failure of one or more units.

Mission plans now call for three small station units with beam-extrusion and mining capacity, with heavy manufacture units to follow, on the pattern of thriving Sol, giving the starstations the capacity to replace their units and to repair and construct pusher engines with shipment of basic engine modules from Earth.

This will entail in-system shuttles and in-system pushers to mine and construct, but this technology is fully developed at Sol and there is nothing new to develop here.

There will be minimal crew, who are not intended to return; some married pairs, some not; no children. The engine module crews will be minimal and again, no children.

Any time a Station Module is being moved, the station crew will have return capacity for personnel only aboard any single engine module, although it would be crowded. Engine modules will not be dismissed from a system until the station is stable and proved to have sufficient resources to enable the station to build its next stages.

The propulsion system is combination slingshot, solar sail.

Stations are designed to maintain a continuous-flow neutrino communicion with Sol, and will continuously transmit and trade information.

2021 Old lunalab shunted to starprobe project; recruiting begun

2022 Trading begun

2023 Construction begun, propulsion TWO (VALIANT)

2024 Second data transmission, from Glory Station [SS4: Ross 154], Probe One to permanent scheduled LOS

2025 Construction begun on third stage

2026 Construction begun on fourth unit

2027 Construction begins on fifth unit

2029 STARPROBE II initial report at Bryant's Star Station [SS3: 61 Cygni] to LOS

2030 First starstation module launched with personnel, first and second module with ECS1 Gaia and ECS6 Polaris engine modules; third with ECS2 Valiant engine module separately to Bryant's Star Station [SS3: 61 Cygni].
First and second module will make a critical decision about deployment of the Glory Station [SS4: Ross 154] Module as they reach a certain stage before deceleration.

2032 The no-children principle falls by the wayside when a mission member ends up pregnant and insists on going to term.

2033 Jocelyn Ann Mccoy is born to a first module crewmember, a healthy baby.
Fifteen other children are born enroute as the seven year voyage proves a large bit of human lives, and other parents decide to take the risk.

This is still discouraged because the infants are potentially at hazard in the early station environment, but there is of course growing-room built into mission, and particularly on the Glory Station [SS4: Ross 154] module, whose voyage is eleven years, this seems long to wait.

The mission head can do little about it but complain.

Go-ahead is given for the Glory Station [SS4: Ross 154] module to keep going to Glory Station [SS4: Ross 154].

2034 Fourth ship ECS3 Argo launched with module to Beta Station [SS2: Alpha Centauri], unprobed due to budget considerations but much studied and with much of the technology already tested by the Alpha Station [SS1: Barnard's Star] team; should Beta Station [SS2: Alpha Centauri] prove untenable for any reason, the mission will return to Sol.
The possibility of previous habitation is discounted as these stars have been extensively monitored and observed and the answer seems negative both for advanced civilization and any civilization at all.

2035 Fifth ship ECS4 Golden Hind launched with unit.

2037 MISSION REACHES Alpha Station [SS1: Barnard's Star]
Station Module One with ESCA separates;

Station Module Two stays on course for Glory Station [SS4: Ross 154].

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This selection is provided free for the enjoyment of my readers but is in its entirety (c) 1996 by C.J. Cherryh, and the writer respectfully requests the copyright always be attached to all copyrighted files. Certain terms and names pertinent to the Alliance-Union universe are also under trademark protection. Copying of this file for reasonable personal use is permitted. Publication for profit must be licensed by the copyright holder.

aCHRONOLOGY
2005	First star probe launched from Sol: designed to go near-C and to spread out; Alpha Station [SS1: Barnard's Star] chosen as lying nearest a promising starfield; first data will be received in year 2019
2008	Plans made to convert existing technology to a starmodule by using new engine complex as return ship, while dumping the highmass starstation unit into permanent starstation unit into permanent orbit. Probe separation on schedule
2009	Advance in propulsion
2013	Study approved and funded
2019	Data received from first star probe at Alpha Station [SS1: Barnard's Star] to scheduled LOS
2020	Funding increase from Sol Design changed to accommodate possible threestage or larger mission, with separable modules each capable of using one of the engine modules as a pusher to put the unit into place; or using the engine module as a ship, thus creating a safety redundancy in the case of failure of one or more units. Mission plans now call for three small station units with beam-extrusion and mining capacity, with heavy manufacture units to follow, on the pattern of thriving Sol, giving the starstations the capacity to replace their units and to repair and construct pusher engines with shipment of basic engine modules from Earth. This will entail in-system shuttles and in-system pushers to mine and construct, but this technology is fully developed at Sol and there is nothing new to develop here. There will be minimal crew, who are not intended to return; some married pairs, some not; no children. The engine module crews will be minimal and again, no children. Any time a Station Module is being moved, the station crew will have return capacity for personnel only aboard any single engine module, although it would be crowded. Engine modules will not be dismissed from a system until the station is stable and proved to have sufficient resources to enable the station to build its next stages. The propulsion system is combination slingshot, solar sail. Stations are designed to maintain a continuous-flow neutrino communicion with Sol, and will continuously transmit and trade information.
2021	Old lunalab shunted to starprobe project; recruiting begun
2022	Trading begun
2023	Construction begun, propulsion TWO (VALIANT)
2024	Second data transmission, from Glory Station [SS4: Ross 154], Probe One to permanent scheduled LOS
2025	Construction begun on third stage
2026	Construction begun on fourth unit
2027	Construction begins on fifth unit
2029	STARPROBE II initial report at Bryant's Star Station [SS3: 61 Cygni] to LOS
2030	First starstation module launched with personnel, first and second module with ECS1 Gaia and ECS6 Polaris engine modules; third with ECS2 Valiant engine module separately to Bryant's Star Station [SS3: 61 Cygni]. First and second module will make a critical decision about deployment of the Glory Station [SS4: Ross 154] Module as they reach a certain stage before deceleration.
2032	The no-children principle falls by the wayside when a mission member ends up pregnant and insists on going to term.
2033	Jocelyn Ann Mccoy is born to a first module crewmember, a healthy baby. Fifteen other children are born enroute as the seven year voyage proves a large bit of human lives, and other parents decide to take the risk. This is still discouraged because the infants are potentially at hazard in the early station environment, but there is of course growing-room built into mission, and particularly on the Glory Station [SS4: Ross 154] module, whose voyage is eleven years, this seems long to wait. The mission head can do little about it but complain. Go-ahead is given for the Glory Station [SS4: Ross 154] module to keep going to Glory Station [SS4: Ross 154].
2034	Fourth ship ECS3 Argo launched with module to Beta Station [SS2: Alpha Centauri], unprobed due to budget considerations but much studied and with much of the technology already tested by the Alpha Station [SS1: Barnard's Star] team; should Beta Station [SS2: Alpha Centauri] prove untenable for any reason, the mission will return to Sol. The possibility of previous habitation is discounted as these stars have been extensively monitored and observed and the answer seems negative both for advanced civilization and any civilization at all.
2035	Fifth ship ECS4 Golden Hind launched with unit.
2037	MISSION REACHES Alpha Station [SS1: Barnard's Star] Station Module One with ESCA separates; Station Module Two stays on course for Glory Station [SS4: Ross 154].
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