F/2113/22: Report on the Final Frontier Project: Alpha Centauri

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The following is a lore document explaining the Final Frontier Project's progress as of mid-2113.

I. Introduction[edit | edit source]

  1. The Final Frontier Project (abbreviated as FFP) is a joint expeditionary effort undertaken by the Sol Defense Corps Navy (abbreviated as SDCN) to chart and explore various neighboring star systems for potential colonization. Several planets in the vicinity of ten (10) light-years within the Sol system.
  2. The FFP manages twenty-three (23) starships outside the Sol border for such expeditionary efforts. All ships are, in turn, administered under its parent Sixth Fleet for service outside the border.
  3. The newest one of these, the HCR-146 Emissary, was commissioned on 25 December 2112 and, as of the time of writing this report, is currently surveying the Alpha Centauri (alt. A. Centauri) system.
  4. The primary mission of the Emissary in Alpha Centauri is to conduct a full habitation survey of exoplanet Proxima Centauri B (alt. Proxima B). Proxima B has been determined in studies dating as far back as 2010 to be a potentially habitable world where liquid water can exist.
  5. The secondary mission of the Emissary in A. Centauri is to chart a potential construction site for a field research station in orbit around Proxima Centauri, whose goal is to conduct research and testing on various factors in the A. Centauri system, particularly to measure the system’s habitability, resources, and other factors that require more permanent establishments than a starship to conduct.
  6. The Emissary is currently on its third voyage and first proper expedition, after two prior test / training exercises conducted within Sol. This is its first mission outside of the system’s border.
  7. The following page is an update, interpreted by the SDC offices in Gibraltar, on the mission the Emissary is currently on, based on a transmission sent by the aforementioned ship dated 10 May 2113.

II. Proxima B Survey[edit | edit source]

  1. The atmospheric, surface, and water tests and surveys conducted by the Emissary on Proxima B did, in fact, prove that the exoplanet is only semi-suitable for human life.
  2. An away team consisting of twelve (12) crew were transported onto the planet’s surface for detailed and physical analysis.
  3. The landing site was designated as “Point Alpha”, with its coordinates situated on 11°13'06.07"N, 22°21'19.11"E. The landing site is 4.6 kilometers away from a liquid lake which, upon sample analysis, was made of saltwater measuring a 11.13% KCl (potassium chloride) salt content.
  4. The landing site is located in the tropical band, where water is most likely to be found on the planet’s surface.
  5. Atmosphere surveys documented the atmosphere of the planet to contain 78.5% nitrogen, 11.2% argon, 5.5% carbon dioxide, 1.1% oxygen, and 3.7% other gases.
  6. Notably the planet’s atmosphere was not found to have a high enough pressure for sustained life on the surface without an EVA suit. This was determined and predicted by studies in the 2010s stating the atmosphere would be gradually stripped by the radiation of its host star.
  7. The planet’s radiation levels were, as predicted, approximately 55 times higher than the radiation received by Earth. While the radiation is non-ionizing and, ultimately, non-harmful to life on the surface, it is--and has been--stripping away the planet’s atmosphere for the duration of its existence. While the planet would have almost possessed idyllic conditions before, it is less so now.
  8. Samples of loose soil on the surface have been found to contain trace amounts of ammonia, indicating relatively fertile soil for growing crops. As the atmosphere possesses a significant amount of carbon dioxide, agriculture on the planet may be possible.
  9. The Emissary has requested that upon its next port visit that it acquire, on its manifest, a pre-assembled surface laboratory and habitation complex for deployment on Proxima B. The SDC has made arrangements to ask for scientists on Earth to move to the Emissary to work on more permanent habitation on the planet’s surface for weeks on end before returning to the ship in orbit.
  10. Biological samples of the planet have successfully returned traces of single-celled microorganisms on the surface. Upon further analysis they have been found to possess remarkably similar cell structure to amoebas on Earth, with the few differences being a larger mitochondria and a much thicker cell wall, presumably to shield from the radiation.
  11. As of writing this report, SDCN has sent a return message asking about the state of the ship and its crew. A reply will be expected around December.

III. Observations[edit | edit source]

  1. The Final Frontier Project scientific committee believes that a colony should still be ultimately placed on Proxima B, if only for scientific purposes. The research on living conditions on a foreign planet can prove invaluable for future expeditions and colonization efforts.
  2. The scheduled port arrival date of the Emissary is slated to be on or around 9 April, 2114. Retrofits and further upgrades to the ship have been scheduled at the Emissary’s drydock in Earth orbit. I look forward to seeing it again after being subject to interstellar space.
  3. The analysis of living unicellular organisms on the planet will be subject to further debate in the science committee on what to do with the information. I personally believe this is of great scientific importance and could further research on what life on other planets is truly like, as well as raise questions on the mysteries of why Proxima B’s life is so similar to ours.
  4. In the future it is essential that personnel who wish to further embark on the Final Frontier Project must first be educated from individuals who participated in significant roles on FFP expeditions, as well as be schooled on more unpredictable scenarios.
  5. I am relieved and glad that the expedition has turned out to be a success and without many severe complications. I thank Captain Thomas Bourne for his service in the new expedition, and look forward to rewarding his efforts to advance the frontier.
  6. I thank the committees of scientists as well as the SDCN personnel behind the Final Frontier Project who have made this ordeal possible, and I believe the project can truly advance humanity’s interests for the greater good.