| A Generation Ship is a large starship with a self-sustaining environment that travels interstellar distances at sub-light speeds. These vessels were conceived before the advent of faster-than-light travel and cryogenic stasis, and were designed to support hundreds or thousands of people for centuries. Successive generations of colonists would be born and raised in the confines of a Generation Ship until it finally arrived at its destination world, which the latest generation would then colonise. In theory, time dilation would make a Generation Ship unnecessary, as time would move slower in the ship, but this was likely unaccounted for by the developers. By 34th century standards, Generation Ships are classified as a type of Megaship. The first Generation Ship was launched from Sol in 2097, as early space colonization efforts had finally begun to make headway on the Moon and Mars after the setbacks caused by World War III. It was followed by approximately 70,000 other vessels over the next several decades. Most of these ambitious expeditions were funded by large corporations, and the penalties for interfering with them were severe, given the enormous cost of mobilizing them. The deployment of Generation Ships was not well regulated, however, resulting in a number of issues. Some vessels launched ill-prepared for the arduous journey that awaited them, and many of the corporations that funded the vessels were dissolved or assimilated by other organisations over the years, making it difficult to keep track of their positions and ownership. Generation Ships were rendered obsolete with the invention of hyperdrive technology by Li Qin Jao in the mid-22nd century, which ushered in a golden age of interstellar exploration and colonisation between 2200 and 2700, and they have not been constructed since. While the vast majority of Generation Ships reached their destinations without incident and established successful colonies, a fraction counted among "the Missing" were lost in transit and are now sought by explorers and treasure hunters. |
