Rising Rays of the New Century: Tale of the Japanese Empire

Part 3.5: The Space Frontier

"For the shielding against cosmic rays and solar winds, it is urgent to thicken the Martian atmosphere. However, in the next 50 years, Midori Sakura is projected to cover nearly 10% of the Martian surface. In terms of pressure and composition alone, it will become similar to Earth's atmosphere..."

A technician stood on the surface of Suiryu, observing the bustling land of unmanned machinery. He dreamed of a future several decades from now, where Suiryu becomes a metropolis rivaling Tokyo or Shanghai.

Suiryu Food Development Center

On the outskirts of the city stood a large factory. Its interior is divided into multiple levels, where a single type of grain is produced, serving as the food source for those involved in the development of Mars. Regarding food production in space, the policy is to meet the demand by genetically modifying a single species and processing it to resemble various other types visually. Similar facilities have been constructed across the Martian terrain, and preparations are steadily underway for future immigration.

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Second Planet of the Sol System: Venus

Capital Myojo

The "Floating City," constructed in the Gobi Desert on Earth, had finally been transported to Venus, towed by several spacecraft.

Venus, the second planet in the solar system, is considered the closest in average density and gravity to Earth, earning it the nickname "twin planet." However, its environment is an inhospitable and harsh world, with an average temperature of 500°C, 90 atmospheres of pressure, and an atmosphere consisting mainly of high concentrations of carbon dioxide and sulfuric acid clouds. Nevertheless, in the upper atmosphere, the atmospheric pressure becomes equivalent to that on Earth. Taking advantage of the fact that Earth's typical air becomes a 'buoyant gas' on Venus, the concept of a Floating City as a migration plan was devised.

The completed Floating City consists of a 'Balloon' filled with helium gas and a living space called the 'Colony.' The interior of the disc-shaped Colony is structured in layers, with each layer forming a city. Furthermore, the Colony is suspended from a massive balloon, allowing it to traverse through the atmosphere of Venus.

"Entering Venus atmosphere. Activate graviton inhibition devices. Begin descent to the designated installation point."

"Understood. Graviton inhibition at 85%."

Communications from the flagship reached each transport vessel. The interaction of gravitons, particles that generate gravity, was inhibited, and the descent toward Venus began at a gradual speed. Carefully and steadily, the first unit of the Floating City was brought down to the desired altitude. The surroundings are filled with thick sulfuric acid clouds, and a golden sky reflects the sunlight.

"Deploying Balloon."

Helium gas was injected into the giant balloon, which is the upper structure of the Floating City. The chains connecting it to the spacecraft are released, and the Floating City floated in the Venusian sky.

"Installation complete."

The crews of each transport vessel breathed a sigh of relief. The communication command center in Japan was also enveloped in jubilation. Thus, the grand project of installing the first unit of the Floating City was completed.

The interior of the Floating City's Colony is structured in layers, designed to accommodate a population of 5 million residents. The interior, which hangs below the balloon, is set with the same atmospheric composition as Earth, and it is intended to replicate a day by circling Venus once every 24 hours. Moving forward, after a period of several years of experimentation to identify various issues, preparations will be made for the settlement of the general population.

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At the beginning of the 22nd century, humanity embarked on a full-scale space migration project. Starting with the Moon, where tens of millions of civilians had already settled, the reach of humanity extended to Mars and Venus. The global space development project generated employment opportunities for the impoverished and became a source of hope, contributing to the stabilization of the world economy.

Then, in the latter half of the 22nd century, as Mars became fully inhabited by humans, space migration accelerated exponentially. People chased their dreams of an unknown frontier among the stars and eagerly grasped one-way tickets to space. Untouched mineral veins on Mars yielded immense wealth, attracting dreamers who flocked to settle there.

With ambitious aspirations, humanity expanded its influence to Jupiter and Saturn. The advent of the Space Frontier Era became a beacon of hope for humanity, gradually improving security on Earth. In contrast to the 21st century, which was marked by conflicts and chaos, the 22nd century became an era of hope thanks to the breakthrough of space exploration.

However, at the end of the 22nd century, a sudden threat emerged, casting a shadow over that hope. In the year 2199 AD, humanity would face its greatest crisis in history.