Timeline and chronology

This page documents the succession of chronological events that have taken place within The Expanse universe (including the The Expanse TV series).

Save for only one, no certain chronological parameter has ever been affirmed within the series. The only known certain date is 2307, the commencement production date of Ganymede Gin, an alcoholic brand.

However, after multiple implications, it is of most likelihood that The Expanse commences in 2350, mostly evidenced by the previous name of the series, 2350. However, to best reduce the degree of speculation within the timeline, this page will use two different indicators relative to one of the most prominent events, the discovery of the protomolecule. Therefore, any event prior will be indicated by BXT (before extrasolar technology), while those standing further on the chronological line of events will be denoted by XTE (extrasolar technology era).

Although still not one-hundred-percent confirmed, the year 2350 corresponds to 8 XTE.^{[Citation needed]}

Timeline of books & series Edit

Timeline of Books/Novellas/Series

Interplanetary era Edit

Ring Builder era Edit

> 2,000,000,000 BXT Edit

Time period approximated based on extrapolation...

• The Ring Builders evolve on their homeworld, likely somewhere in the Milky Way galaxy.
• The Ring Builders achieve spaceflight.

ca. 2,000,000,000 BXT Edit

• The Ring Builders uncover wormhole physics. Subsequently, they commence building a massive interstellar network spanning across many star systems in the Milky Way.
• The Ring Builders' empire becomes the dominant power in their small corner of the galaxy. The species thrives.
• Around this time, the Ring Builders place the protomolecule in Phoebe, and send Phoebe on a trajectory towards the prehistorical, primitive Earth.
• Phoebe is caught by Saturn's gravity, sparing Earth's primitive life from the protomolecule.

Pre-spacefaring era Edit

ca. 200,000 BXT Edit

• The modern human evolves on Earth.
• Humanity migrates beyond Africa.

9,000 BXT Edit

• The very first human settlements are built.

500 - 350 BXT Edit

• The two global conflicts are ignited between human alliances. About one hundred million people are killed.
• The United Nations is formed, but has extremely limited powers that have very little effect on most nations states.
• The United States and the Soviet Union emerge as the two superpowers. The Cold War begins
• Soviet engineers start the era of human spaceflight.
• The United States lands the first human on the moon (luna). Humanity first steps on another planetary body.
• Eventually, the USSR dissolves, leaving the United States as the sole superpower for decades to come.

Extraterrestrial colonization era Edit

320 BXT Edit

• Mars is settled by humanity.

300 - 200 BXT Edit

• The damage done to Earth's ecosystem reaches critical levels.
• The various nations on Earth pour their economies into the advancement of space travel.
• Eventually, the United Nations becomes the unified government of humanity.

200 - 130 BXT Edit

• Mars pleads for independence from the United Nations. The UN refuses.
• Tensions grow between the UN and its colony.

129 BXT Edit

• Solomon Epstein achieves a breakthrough regarding space propulsion and develops the Epstein Drive.

128 BXT Edit

• Mars exchanges the Epstein drive for independence from the UN.
• The Martian Congressional Republic is proclaimed.

127 - 50 BXT Edit

• The United Nations and the MCR, both using the Epstein drive, colonize the remaining outer part of the Sol system.
• Ganymede becomes the breadbasket of the outer planets.
• Serious anatomical discrepancies evolve between Inners and Belters due to growth in low gravity. Such differences exist between Earthers and Martians, too, but are not as evident.

Peace era Edit

30 BXT Edit

• The OPA (Outer Planets Alliance) is founded.

12 BXT Edit

• Amos Burton departs Earth.

4 BXT Edit

• James Holden joins the United Nations Navy.

3 BXT Edit

• Chrisjen Avasarala becomes the Deputy Undersecretary of Executive Administration of the UN.

1 XTE Edit

• The MCR surveys Phoebe and discovers the protomolecule.
• The Martian government approaches Protogen as a co-sponsor of a long-term facility to investigate the protomolecule.

3 XTE Edit

• James Holden is dishonourably discharged from the UNN.
• Subsequently, Holden is contracted by the Pur'n'Kleen Water Company.

Tensioned era Edit

8 XTE Edit

• Julie Mao boards the Scopuli. Eventually, she ends up on Eros, where she dies of protomolecule exposure.

• The Canterbury is destroyed by Protogen forces, but some escape on the Knight shuttle.
• The Donnager is destroyed by Protogen forces, but some escape on the Tachi (frigate housed in the Donnager).

• The Tachi is renamed the Rocinante by her new crew and docks at Tycho Station for repairs and a new transponder to make the transition complete.

9 XTE Edit

• Julie Mao's body is found by Miller, Holden, and his crew.
• Eros incident: The protomolecule is let loose on Eros station, killing all of its inhabitants. Only Miller and Holden manage to escape and return to the Rocinante.

NotesEdit

• Where these roughly correspond to the relative timeline for comparison and contrast purposes between book and television incarnations even when events themselves might not correspond identically in both timelines.

References

See alsoEdit

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