Expansion Era

Discovery, Exploration

The Expansion era spans from 2400 FS to 2494 CE and focuses on Federation Expansion into the Milky Way.

With the threat of the Reapers behind them and having achieved dominance within known space, the Terran Foundation expanded its sights to the wider Milky Way. The Expansion Era was divided into 5 objectives: Exploration, Colonization, Exploitation, Communication, and Militarization.   Exploration is mainly carried out by the Federal Institute of Science. A fleet of science ships and exploration cruisers are equipped with the technology that allows the Science Officers on board to survey celestial bodies, research anomalies, and excavate archeological sites.   After a star system has been fully surveyed, colonization efforts may commence. An outpost is deployed to the system, and any potential habitable planets are established as a new colony by the Ministry of Colonization. The new colony then receives support from the Ministry until it is deemed a self-sufficient colony.   Once a system has been colonized, the next step is to exploit and develop the system. Celestial bodies rich in resources or are a scientific curiosity have mining and research stations, respectively, developed in orbit. Some colonies that display potential to grow into a proper powerhouse may develop and designate themselves into one of many specializations, such as a mining, energy, food, trade, research, etc.   Communication is the process of establishing contact with other species across space. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs works closely with the Federal Intelligence Ministry to ascertain whether new species contacted are to be designated as friend or foe. Civilizations contacted are split into different designations depending on technology levels. Fallen Empires are ancient and mighty empires that mostly keep to themselves. The UTF has manages to spend specialized intelligence agents as disciples within their societies. Primitive Designations are reserved for civilizations that have yet to achieve interstellar space travel. Marauders are nomadic and militaristic FTL societies that have eschewed planetary dwelling in favor of living on ships and stations, subsisting largely on raiding each other and extorting tribute from settled empires. Marauders are always hostile but will generally not attack empires unless they enter their systems or they are in the process of raiding them. Other small enclaves have also been encountered: curators, traders, and artists. Leviathans are space faring entities with mysterious origins and motives. They were largely ignored during the exploration era.   Finally to protect the Federation's interests, and to protect it from dangers domestic and abroad, a massive militarization campaign was initiated. Massive reforms were administered to ensure that the Armed Forces of the United Terran Federation could project its power and will even beyond Terran space.