1951 8 March Successful test flights of the RL-47 Skymaster elicit a flood of pro-space approval. President Patton calls for a firm foothold in space by 1955. 1952 22 January Cape Canaveral, the home of North American Space Command (NASC) is re-designated as Cape Patton in honor of Americas' late president. May through June A series of Lunar probes are launched from Winchester Space Command in the Southern California Desert and from Cape Canaveral in Florida: Quatermass I, II, IV, V, VI, VII - from Winchester Space Command are Lunar orbiters/mappers. Quatermass IV is the only probe that fails to attain its scheduled orbit around the Moon; it crashes into the lunar surface. Cavor 1, 2, 4, 7, 8 - from Cape Canaveral. These are landers. The missions of Cavor 7 and 8 include returning soil and rock samples back to Earth. 28 November Construction of the RL-49 Star Lifter, Enterprise, is completed at the Tesla/ Waterman facility in the Southern California Mojave desert. Test flights begin the same day. 1953 5 December The RL-49 Star Lifter successfully completes a year-long series of orbital and sub-orbital test flights. 10 December The Radium League Space Command (SPACOM) is formed. 15 December The vast Tesla/Waterman aerospace complex southwest of Barstow begins construction of twelve RL-49 Star Lifters. 1957 12 August President Yeager announces plans for a self-sufficient lunar colony by 1963. It is recognized that the main purpose of this first facility on Luna will be to serve as a stepping stone to Mars and the asteroids. At the same time President Yeager calls for plans for a similar colony on Mars by 1970. 11 November RL Space Station 1 becomes operational. 1958 12 January A series of five probes - MXL1, MXL3, MXL5, PXL1, and DXL1- are launched for Mars from Earth's Cape Patton in Florida. MXL1 is a Mars polar orbiter MXL3 and MXL5 are Mars equatorial landers PXL1 is a Phobos lander DXL1 is a Deimos lander 1960 24 April First telemetry from Mars probes received. Water ice is detected in abundance in the North polar regions of Mars. 20 November Construction of three manned survey ships to the Martian system, the Barton, Healy, and the Richardson, begins in low Earth orbit. They will be the first manned missions to the Red Planet. Each vessel contains two manned landers: The Barton will deploy its two landers on Mars in the Tharsis region. The Healy will deploy one lander in the Syrtis region and one in the Cerberus region. The Richardson will deploy one lander to Phobos and one to Deimos providing that the Martian Landers succeed in their missions. If not, the Richardson's landers will be deployed to Mars. 1961 20 December Construction and testing of the Martian survey ships Barton and Healy are completed. Work on the Richardson lags behind by one month. 23 December The Barton leaves Earth orbit for Mars. 1962 5 January The Healy leaves Earth orbit for Mars. 11 August The Barton enters Martian orbit. 15 August The Healy enters Martian orbit. 26 September The Richardson enters Martian orbit. 1963 8 January The first successful manned landings on Mars, Phobos and Deimos. Surface samples are analyzed onboard the respective command ships and all details are transmitted to Earth. 10 January Lunar Space Station 2 becomes operational. 25 January Geologists attached to Winchester Space Command are stunned by the results of their own analysis of sample data received from Mars. There are strong indications of natural gas and oil deposits in three of the four samples collected from the Martian surface. A statement that life, at one time, flourished on Mars is made public. 14 February Lunar Base Tycho 1 becomes permanently self-sufficient with a three month period, rotating crew of 250 men and women. Work begins on a series of electromagnetic rail launch stations to boost ore and water ice out of the lunar gravity well for eventual transport to the orbit of Mars. Heavy strip mining of designated "high-ore impact craters" commences. 1964 1 March The first two lunar electromagnetic rail launch stations come on line. Each rail system is capable of boosting 10 tons of ore per week out of the lunar gravity well. The ore is then ferried by tugs to a lagrange point where it is melted by solar lenses, refined into various metal alloys, and formed into various generic girders and beams and other structural shapes. At the same time, selected crews of future "Martians" begin the long journey to Mars via transport ships Percival Lowell and Robert Heinlein. By the time they reach their destination, building material from Luna will be waiting for them in orbit. 1965 10 June The first two of eight massive oxygen/nitrogen generators arrive in Martian orbit. These will be used to begin the terraforming of Mars. Presently the average atmospheric pressure on Mars averages 8 millibars at the surface with carbon dioxide accounting for 95% of the atmosphere.The Martian Colonization Plan calls for fifty other generators to be assembled from scratch on the surface within a five year period. While it is estimated that complete terraforming of Mars will take 30 years, it is expected that "useful" atmospheric pressure will be realized within a decade. (see graph) 12 July The first prefab componets for Burrough's Station arrive in Mars orbit. Similar "deliveries" are scheduled to arrive in Martian orbit on a weekly schedule over a period of five months. 11 August Earth transport Percival Lowell with its crew of 175 Martians reach Mars orbit and begin transporting the orbiting building materials to the surfaces of Mars. Drilling for oil and natural gas deposits begins immediately. 14 August Earth transport Heinlein with its crew of 174 Martians arrive on Mars. 15 August Earth transport Asimov with its crew of 174 Martians crash lands in the Tharsis Basin when a damaged landing strut gives way. 25 Martians are killed and 149 are injured. 17 August Final ceremonies held for the crew and passengers of the Asimov. Construction of Burroughs Station and surrounding agriculture support pods officially commences. 18 August Natural gas is successfully extracted at a Drill Site Alpha on the northern rim of Darwin, an ancient crater, ten kilometers west of Burrough's Station. 3 September Landing Pad A, for heavy transport ships, is completed. 20 September The first in a series of Mars Rovers is converted from atomic power to compressed natural gas (CNG). 24 September The Red Planet Gas Company is established on Earth to exploit the natural reserves of Martian natural gas and oil. Jeremy Hithers, a flamboyant Texan millionaire, is voted "Director, Mars Side" of the RPGC. 1966 2 April The construction of Burrough's Station is completed. 15 April The construction of Landing Pad B is completed. 2 May Ancient stone carvings discovered at site designation THARSIS G1, G2 and G4 by Team Beta 3. Carvings and ceramic pots were found at site G3. Reports reach Earth of the artifacts discovered on Mars. 6 May Oil is extracted at a Drill Site Beta near the southern rim of Darwin. 13 May Ancient Martian ruins discovered at site designation THARSIS R1 , THARSIS R3, and at THARSIS R2. 26 May Ancient Martian ruins discovered at site designation THARSIS W1 by Team Beta 14 [ See Tunnels Of Mars ]. 27 May Ancient Martian ruins discovered at site designation THARSIS W2 by Team Beta 14. 29 May Ancient Martian ruins discovered at site designation THARSIS W3 by Team Beta 14. 2 June Ancient Martian ruins discovered at site designation THARSIS R4 by Team Beta 12. 1967 2 July First descent into the Martian tunnel system: the tunnels are found to contain a breathable atmosphere [ See Tunnels Of Mars ]. 12 July Burroughs' Station Agricultural Station B produces its first harvest. 11 September Mars Expedition Team 5 explores the Martian tunnel system. [ See Tunnels Of Mars ]. 16 September Evidence of first Martian lifeform recorded. [ See Tunnels Of Mars ]. 1968 15 August Following up on odd details noticed in pre-colonization orbital photographs, glider pilot Paul Anderson snaps several low resolution images of an area later named, in his honor, Anderson's Gorge. 31 November MET 9 utilizes a series of recently discovered aquaducts in the south eastern wall of Gabrial-Russo Valley to gain entrance to Velda Planitia. 1969 3 August   Anderson's Gorge North. 1970 19 March A new Martian Colony flag, designed by Earth Government with no Martian input or approval, is imposed upon the colonies. Colonists immediately view it as a symbol of Earth dependence and domination. 24 March 350 colonists arrive on Mars. 10 April Ancient Martian ruins discovered at site designation SPINRAD D1. 10 June As a result of the Martian Colonization Plan, launched in 1970, to terraform Mars, it is officially reported that the avarage surface atmospheric pressure of Mars has reached 50 millibars. The atmosphere now consists of 92% carbon dioxide, 6% nitrogen and 1% oxygen. 1973 3 December Nearly four and one-half years have elapsed since the initial discovery of Anderson's Gorge. In the summer of 1973 MarsGov was finally able to devote substantial resources for followup investigation (a similar attempt during the summer of 1971 was scrubbed due to a massive dust storm that raged across the northern hemisphere for nearly three months).    The initial plan was to thoroughly map the Gorge in three dimensions and set up a permanent manned station to facilitate ongoing research.    All planned exploratory schedules of the Gorge were modified, if not postponed, on 3 December when high resolution aerial photographs turned up physical evidence of advanced alien technology in the form Saucer Alpha. 1974 January Saucer Beta is uncovered in an undisclosed area near Anderson's Gorge. 1975 10 June At a conference in New Denver, Dr. Kelly Harte announces that the Martian Colonization Plan, in terms of terraforming Mars, is progressing beyond all expectations. Average atmospheric pressure now stands at 150 millibars. The Martian atmosphere now consists of 86% carbon dioxide, 11% nitrogen and 2% oxygen. 12 September News leaks to Earth of a major rebellion on Mars. Earth Government receives a garbled and partial emergency messege from EG Ambassador Morton. 13 September All telemetry with Mars is lost. An earthbound ferry, the Hunt, reports that they were forced at gunpoint to leave the surface six hours earlier than anticipated. Two Marsbound ferries, the Thompson and the Franz, receive demands to hold in Martian orbit upon arrival and to not attempt a landing. They are told that Mars is now fully self-sufficient and is no longer in need of Earth resources. 1987 12 October Walt Disney [ Biography ] dies, at home, at Burrough's Station.