Timeline

21st Century

 * 2050
 * The first Jump Drive is successfully tested by a team of IASA engineers.
 * 2057
 * The first successful jump is made from Sol to Alpha Centauri, by a team of IASA astronauts and engineers.
 * 2058
 * The Miami Summit
 * The leaders of Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America meet to discuss the possibilities of the Jump Drive
 * In a secret protocol, all space within 85 light years are divided into eight Colonization Avenues, and divided between the nations (France and Germany agree to share an avenue).
 * 2059
 * The rest of the world learns of the secret protocol. After popular pressure, countless demonstrations and numerous UN General Assembly resolutions, it is agreed that all space within 15 light years of Earth will be joint Human space, claimable by no-one. France, Germany and UK all lose considerable political influence within the EU because of the debacle.
 * Brazil announces that all citizens of Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking nations will be eligible as colonists within their zone.
 * 2060
 * The Brazilian colony ship Brasilia launches as the very first from the IASA launch site in Guyana. It jumps to the Achird system.
 * Brasilia in the Achird system is colonized by Latin colonists.
 * 2061
 * The Japanese colony ship Nippon launches from Baikonur, and jumps to the 70 Ophiuchi system.
 * New Nippon in the 70 Ophiuchi system is colonized by Japanese colonists.
 * 2064
 * The Chinese colony ship Jiangshan launches from Jiuquan. A week later, the British colony ship Bretonia launches from Cape Canaveral. The Jiangshan jumps to the Al Hurr system, while the Bretonia jumps to the Altair system.
 * Guangzhou in the Al Hurr system is colonized by Chinese colonists.
 * New London and New Cambridge in the Altair system is colonized by British colonists.
 * 2065
 * The Franco-German colony ship Charlemagne, the Indian colony ship Shah Jahan, the Russian colony ship Rasputin and the American colony ship Liberty all launch within a week – Charlemagne from Guyana, Shah Jahan and Rasputin from Baikonur, and Liberty from Kennedy Space Center. The Charlemagne jumps to the Keid system, the Shah Jahan to the Gliese 433 system, the Rasputin to the Fomalhaut system, and the Liberty to the Alsafi system.
 * New Paris in the Keid system is colonized by French and German colonists.
 * New Bombay in the Gliese 433 system is colonized by Indian colonists.
 * New Moscow in the Fomalhaut system is colonized by Russian colonists.
 * Manhattan in the Alsafi system is colonized by American colonists.
 * 2066
 * The UN colony ship Earth 1 and Earth 2 launch from Cape Canaveral and Guyana. Earth 1 jumps to Alpha Centauri, while Earth 2 jumps to Epsilon Eridani.
 * Alpha Centauri II and Alpha Centauri V in the Alpha Centauri system is colonized by Human colonists.
 * Epsilon Eridani III in the Epsilon Eridani system is colonized by Human colonists.
 * The Galactic Naming Treaty is signed and ratified by the Colonial Powers. As a result, Achird is renamed Brasilia, 70 Ophiuchi is renamed Nippon, Al Hurr becomes Guangdong, Altair becomes New London, Keid becomes Ile-de-France, Gliese 433 is renamed Mumbai, Fomalhaut becomes Muscowy, and Alsafi becomes New York.
 * 2067
 * British colonists colonize the Manchester (EV Lacertae), Birmingham (VB 10) and Leeds (Vega) systems.
 * Chinese colonists colonize the Shandong (HIP 57050), Henan (Marfak), Sichuan ([TZ Arietis), Jiangsu (Alula Australis), and Hebei (Chi1 Orionis) systems.
 * Franco-German colonists colonize the Berlin (Beta Hydri), Anjou (268 G. Ceti / Gliese 105), Bayern (82 G. Eridani), Dauphiné (Gliese 229), and Pfalz (32 G. Eridani) systems.
 * 2069
 * Indian colonists colonize the Delhi (289 G. Hydrae), Bangalore (Gliese 317), Hyderabad (175 G. Hydrae), Ahmedabad (75 G. Hydrae), Chennai (374 G. Hydrae), and Calcutta (Tau Hydrae) systems.
 * 2070
 * American colonists colonize the California (Xi Boötis), Texas (Chi Draconis) and Florida (Asterion) systems
 * Latin colonists colonize the São Paulo (GroomBridge 1830), Minas Gerais (Hassalah) and Rio de Janeiro (HD 4628) systems
 * Russian colonists colonize the Volgograd (Gliese 876), Novgorod (Gliese 832), Kaliningrad (Gliese 785) and Rostov (Gamma Pavonis) systems
 * Japanese colonists colonize the Osaka (KX Lib), Kanagawa (Gliese 581), Aichi (36 Ophiuchi) and Hokkaido (279 G. Sagittarii) systems
 * UN colonists colonize the Barnard, Lacaille 8760 and Sirius systems.