1.0 Introduction

The faculty of Star Fleet Academy, the Editors, is proud and privileged to have had the opportunity to develop the forthcoming series of spaceflight chronology books.

The publication of this edition, The Earth, represents the first part of this ambitious project to provide Star Fleet Academy Cadets with a concise, illustrated history of their home planet's spaceflight evolution and development.

Henceforth, freshman Cadets of planet Earth, and eventually all freshman Cadets from Vulcan, Rigel, Alpha Centauri, Tellar and Andor, will be required to read the chronology of their home planet's spaceflight history.

But it is important to note when the United Federation of Planets was formed in 2087, man's space progress was equal to, and in some cases beyond, the other founding members. From mutual discussion and agreement it was decided the Federation would look to Earth technology for leadership in this area.

In addition, this is, of course, a concise history, to be used in conjunction with other basic spaceflight texts. The serious student of starship history should augment the foundation he receives from these pages with reference to the standard ENCYCLOPEDIA OF SPACEFLIGHT, edited by April and April. Also, the definitive index of all ships, past and present, STAR FLEET'S SHIPS OF THE GALAXY, can complement the illustrations in this volume.

This Chronology is divided into ten chapters. The first traces the beginning of space exploration back on Earth in the twentieth century, from 1957 to 2000 (Since this volume concerns only the Sol Star System, Stardates have not been necessary; instead, Earth's standard dating system, the Gregorian, provides the units of chronology for this book.) The next eight examine the following segments, and the final chapter not only runs to the present time, but offers speculations of the future of spaceflight and its ancillary fields.

These opinions were solicited by Star Fleet Command and made available to Star Fleet Academy from the leading experts in their fields. The vital role they've served in strategic planning has, till now, justified their Code Orange Secret classification. However, the Editors feel that just as this Chronology anchors the Cadet to his past, so too should it point the future officer to the future.

Chapters 1 through 9 begin with an overview of the main historical and scientific highlights of the period, followed by a four-page comprehensive illustrated ships chronology, major representative ships pages with detailed specifications, a minor representative ships and probes page with abbreviated specifications, a stellar explorations page of the era, and concludes with six pages of official logs. Chapter 10 contains, in addition to the previously mentioned speculations, an overview, major ship pages, a glossary and two ship summary pages which provide a comparison of ship evolution through the centuries.

A word about the format. The twentieth century did not have any centralized archive system to draw upon, so the Editors have researched the major reporting media of the time and developed stories on the first historic spaceflight events as they might have appeared in the twentieth century. The next two centuries' major events are illuminated by excerpting the appropriate Ship's Log entry, providing the unique perspective of the active participants. Space is explored by individual people, no matter what their affiliation, and the sum of their personal dramas and crises and breakthroughs is what makes up history. This Chronology should prove that truth.

So, Cadets, welcome to the history of Earth spaceflight. It has been an illustrious, galaxy-changing 258 years, filled with extraordinary achievement, darkened by great tragedy. The future should hold equal marvels and perils, and the future will be made by you, the readers of this Chronology. Learn the past to make the future.

Brigham Wu, Commandant

Star Fleet Academy 2215