RyansWorld: The Colonization of Space

'''Special Note: Please note that this scenario is meant to be read as entertainment, not as an accurate prediction of the future. Also note that the viewpoints and opinions that may come across in this scenario are not necessarily the viewpoints and opinions of the author.'''

Dr. Marlene VanGoethem
Dr. Marlene Eleanor Helen VanGoethem (2020-2128) will be a scientist from the Singularity era who will study the terraforming of other planets in our solar system. While attending Columbia University, she majored in second-level calculus, the study of biology, and the study of outer space. She would have a younger brother named Evelyn VanGoethem who would eventually become a full-time househusband and a father of three daughters.

Her greatest accomplishment was turning ten acres of the Sahara Desert into useful farmland with the kind permission of the Libyan government after graduating from Columbia University in New York City. During her spare time, she enjoys playing Sony PlayStation 3 emulator games on her personal computer. Her favorite Kindle electronic books are The Handmaid's Tale and Nineteen Eighty Four.

Until her retirement sometime before the end of the 2090s, Dr. VanGoethem researches ways to turn unhospitable land into arable land that can improve the lives of the people who live around it. Terraforming become her passion as she aided the colonization of Mars and Venus, which become the first two planets to be colonized by Earth. 100 years after her death due to a spaceship accident, many streets on the Lunar Protectorate and in the United States of Mars are named in her honor. Nanorobotics kept her mind and body at the level of a 30-year-old but she chose to volunarily retire because of her personal beliefs.

General story
The colonisation of Mars will be an effort that will be facilitated with the expert knowledge of Dr. Marlene VanGoethem in the field of terraforming. 5,000 men and 5,000 women will become the first generation of Martian citizens; their descendants will be involved in creating the United States of Mars. They will be picked at random.

Eventually, Mars will become overcrowded and Venus will also be terraformed and colonised. Seeing the need to improve themselves before Earth can impose its "right-wing conservative politics" upon them, they develop left-wing dictatorships that ensure that Christianity never becomes a dominant part of Martian culture. During times of austerity, the Martian colonial government can enact laws requiring people to eat a vegetarian diet. This is done to reduce obesity rates, heart disease, and other "Earthly diseases" upon a sparsely populated society.

Colonies of Mars will probably be matriarchal and ultimately rely on male pregnancy to realize the goals of their society.

Martian Colonies
The Martian colonies will be the logical result of the colonisation of Mars. In the beginning, they will be closed domes, but as terraforming progresses, the buildings will become more Terran-like and eventually be similar to Earth's Los Angeles with hints of Earth's New York City. Colonies of Mars will probably be governed completely by a Wiki-like forum.

Transportation to and from other Worlds
Due to the fact that flying to Mars is more hazardous than a five-hour flight from Toronto to Vancouver is in the year 2011, people will be boarded in special cabins, and cannot freely walk about the plane even after reaching a stable flight path. However, flights will be faster with the quicker space shuttles and it will only take 5 days to get to Mars by the mid 2050s. Once the passengers arrive on Mars, there will be a recreational facility just one block away from the motel district (where the tourists dream of exciting adventures in outer space - humanity's last true frontier).

By the year 2057, transportation of tourists, workers, and very important people (by the usage of a commuter space shuttle) will be routine and Mars will open itself up to trade, tourism, and sports teams that compete against the teams on Earth.

Colonisation of Venus
The Colonisation of Venus was a project aided by Dr. Marlene VanGoethem. It logically followed after the economic stabilization of the Martian colonies. Like before, 5,000 men and 5,000 women become the first colony on Venus. 60% came from third world countries and 40% came from developed countries. The third world people were given special treatment like on Mars until they become educated and wealthy 200 years after the establishment of the colonies on Venus.

Colonization of Ganymede
The Colonization of Ganymede was another project that was suggested by Dr. Marlene VanGoethem, though it was never started until a few years after she retired. Like the Colonizations of Mars and Venus, it was founded after Venus and Mars's colonies started to be crowded, and their economies stabilized, many Governments decided they needed another colony. For a third time, 5,000 men and 5,000 women were the first people to come to Ganymede. Ganymede is rather far from the Sun, so Magentosphere technology that harnesses the magnetic fields of Jupiter and Ganymede itself are used to power the colony.

Colonization of Outer Space in General
The Colonization of Space will start when humanity colonizes Mars, Mercury, Venus, Ganymede, Titan, and Callisto. Then Humanity will notice they don't have much space and will build floating space colonies in outer space. Finally, they will build flying colonies orbiting the other 4 planets in our solar system and build more floating space colonies such as refueling/repairing bases. By the middle of the 22nd century, they will have built ground colonies on Europa, Io, Tethys, Dione, Rhea, Iapetus, Umbriel, Ariel, Titania, Oberon and Triton, and have built bases on Ceres, Pluto, Eris and other Kuiper Belt objects and asteroids. By the end of the 26th century, Alpha Centauri will be likely colonised by the human race. By the 41st century, humans will finally only use Earth as the empire center (although water and natural resources can be created in unlimited amounts using nanotechnology in addition to food), enjoy the pleasures and perks of running an intergalactic republic, and will prosper 200 million years in the future.

Floating Space Colonies
Floating space colonies are residental units for scientists and maintenance people who fix and refuel spacecraft. They will become plausible during the middle of the 21st century. People who are not expert mechanics or experts in the field of research will be sent to the Mars and Venus land-based colonies. People employed in these colonies have a contract of two Earth years before they can return to their spouses and families.

Intelligent Life in Outer Space
Extraterrestrial aliens are lifeforms from other planets who visit Earth on an almost regular basis, whose homeworld has yet to be discovered. As the colonization of space spreads outside our solar system, the likelyhood of discovering their homeworld becomes significantly easier. Eventually, either diplomacy or war will take place after first contact with the alien species. Their technology is superior to ours and could wipe us out almost instantly.