It was Oct.4, 1957, and the Sputnik, the first artificial satellite was launched into orbit of earth. The Sputnik was a metallic sphere, about 2 feet across, and weighed about 184 pounds (84 kg), with long "whiskers" pointing out to one side. The Sputnik stayed in orbit for 6 months, before falling back to earth. Its rocket booster, weighing about 4 tons, also reached orbit and was easily visible from the ground. It didn’t end there, a second Sputnik satellite was launched on November 3, 1957 and carried a dog, named Laika, into space. Biological data was returned for a week before the animal had to be put to sleep. The Sputnik missions all happened during the midst of the Cold War, between the USSR and the United States of America. Needless to say, the Americans, (who are now the sole part of the government of the Terran Empire) became worried about the Soviet accomplishments and soon the development of space technology became a national priority. This had sparked the beginning of what is commonly known as "the space race", The Americans began work on their own ballistic missile projects, the navy got the first shot off on December 6, 1957. The result, which took place before the world's media, was a spectacular failure. The Vanguard rocket rose only a few feet above the launch pad, fell back and blew up. Its tiny six-inch satellite had rolled out of the flames, still transmitting its radio signal. Sarcastic newspapers immortalized the event as "Kaputnik" and "Stayputnik." Washington officials then turned to the army, where a group of booster pioneers were creating a U.S. answer to the Soviet ICBMs at Red stone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama.

     The army scored on January 31, 1958, launching the Explorer 1 satellite from Cape Canaveral on a Jupiter-C rocket, which was a modified Red stone ballistic missile. That satellite, which carried an instrument package developed by a team at the University of Iowa under the direction of James A. Van Allen, had discovered the famous radiation belts around the Earth that now bear Van Allen's name, of course these tests went on for a while. Goaded by the Soviet launch of Sputnik 2, the U.S. Congress moved quickly to close the space gap. On July 29, 1958, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958, and NASA became a reality. The administration was formally founded on October 1, 1958. So, now the two superpowers were fully engaged in a battle that would end on the Moon in the year 1969.

     Dweight Eisenhower was opposed to the idea of an all-out effort to reach the Moon. He said that he "would rather have a good Red stone than be able to hit the Moon, for we didn't have any enemies on the Moon." But that policy took an abrupt turn when John F. Kennedy became president. The U.S. did not have enemies on the Moon, but it certainly looked like that one day it might have them. In response to the first orbital flight by Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin in Vostok 1 on April 12, 1961, President Kennedy, on May 25, 1961, set the national goal of landing astronauts on the Moon and returning them safely to Earth within the decade. The Soviets persistently denied that they had any plans to put humans on the Moon, but historical documents have put that idea to rest. And their early Luna launches betrayed a definite interest in Earth's natural satellite. On September 13, 1959, the U.S.S.R.'s Luna 2 crashed onto the moon carrying a copy of the Soviet coat of arms. Then, on October 4, 1959, Luna 3 set out to orbit the Moon and photographed 70 percent of its far side. Until the very end, it was difficult to tell which nation was out in front, as both contenders racked up a series of important space first times. The winner was not declared until astronaut Neil A. Armstrong stepped, or perhaps bounced out of the Apollo 11 lunar Lander on July 20, 1969, and, with the whole world watching made his now famous statement: "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." After these events in space, technology continued to grow, missions that involved orbit of earth became routine, probes and satellites common, but probes had one problem, they had no long term fuel, they burned up all their fuel on takeoff, giving them tremendous thrust, and then they coast to their target. But all that was soon to change, when the people of Earth had used a device called an Ion Drive. Deep space 1 was sent out to observe a far out asteroid that threatened to hit the earth. The drive works by using Xenon gas, using 1 ion at a time, and passing through grids of positive and negative charge, the drive however had roughly the thrust of a piece of paper falling onto your hand, but since space had no friction, and objects in space are weightless, it was useful for longer missions due to its constant thrust. New versions of the Ion Drive were put under production; standard fuel propulsion systems were still in use.

     Now the year is 2024, Earth begins to understand the potential of space, and commercial flights into space were regular, space hotels popular, and asteroid mining had taken off as well. But liquid/solid fuel consumption was too high, and the Ion Drives were needed now more than ever, and so ships were retrofitted with these devices. But the trips that once took 10 hours, now took 8 days. Days kept passing, money kept being spent, and a new Ion Drive came out, and was capable of more speed, the 8 day trips, were now reduced to 5, finally the Ion Drive 3 came around, and 2 day trips were common place. Then finally, the inevitable.. Colonization of a distant planet. In the year 2042, a colony ship that was given the name, Freedom 1, successfully colonized Mars. And more and more, colonization was common, by the year 2082, all 9 planets in the solar system were colonized. During this period, commercial travel had become even more common, Ion Drives were once again becoming useless because of the distance needing be covered. And in the year 2101, the Contra Terrace Engine was introduced into what at the time was known as "The high fleet". Those 2-day trips, were up to 18 hours, and the human drive to contact other empires finally had risen to its highest point, more and more searches, studies, ships being sent out.

     From this point in history, things get rather sketchy - several new races were encountered, the UTE grew quickly, it expanded throughout the universe, and in come cases even other galaxies. The UTE alone were not the only Empire to venture from its home galaxy to expand, but others would also leave, lay claim to distant planets and form Empires of their own. Through the ages some of these have even been made contact with again - and each time one is found, we are very egar to call them brothers.

     Some people would even go so far as to say that they lay claim to Earth - the origional. Home of the UTE. By rare and often exhillerating encouters with the Malfadorians, the latest would be granted to the UTE, sole ownership of the Terran Confederation from which it was born. Emperor Jendevi had changed his title to General Vaughn with the honor bestowed to him by Malfador, and written in stone (Se4) cast the name of the Terran leader, General Vaughn.

     Times often vary from darkess to light, and for a period in time - the UTE stood almost idle before this great encounter, this honor lifted the spirit of the Terrans immensly, and it has begun to expand, and re-assert itself into the universe with its brothers, and allies. Our history is written every day - and forgotten others, these documents are meant to remind us of who we are, not what we have done.