Terra Nova

History

At the dawn of Human interstellar travel, unmanned probes were dispatched to star systems adjacent to Sol. The probe sent to the Sirius System discovered that the third planet from the twin suns was habitable, possessing a biosphere that, based on initial readings, appeared to be remarkably similar to Earth's. These readings were later confirmed by the UNS Explorer, captained by Leonid Markov, who performed a full survey of the planet in 2201 CE.

While the Alpha Centauri System had already been selected as the site of the first Human colony, Sirius III was immediately added to the list. After several years of preparation and several followup surveys, the colony ship UNS Destiny landed on Sirius III in 2205 CE. The colonists immediately noted the great similarities between the new world and Earth, and took to calling the planet Terra Nova, or New Earth.

As the Terra Nova colony grew, it competed for resources and attention with its sister colony of Horizon in the Alpha Centauri System. While Horizon developed its mining and manufacturing industries, Terra Nova established itself as a launching point for expeditions into deep space, and later, a support platform for colonies like Concord in the Epsilon Eridani System.

As the UN's interstellar empire grew, Terra Nova became crucial as a trade and logistics hub for ships leaving the core sector to the frontier. Many major corporations moved their headquarters from Earth to the colony, while its proximity to the homeworld allowed large numbers of migrants to move with ease. Towards the second half of the 23rd century CE, Terra Nova had become the largest colony by population in UNE space, as well as a commercial and technological hub.

Following the successes of both Earth Station and Horizon Station, Terra Nova was the next colony to receive an orbital ring. Although construction was slightly slower than that of Horizon Station, Terra Nova Station opened on schedule at the end of the 2290s CE.

Since then, Terra Nova has continued to be the most important UNE world outside of Earth. In fact, some experts believe that Terra Nova will overtake Earth in both population and GDP by the end of the century. Although this is not a mainstream view, it speaks to the political and economic importance of the planet.

Economy

Terra Nova's economy is built upon the services, finance, entertainment, and technology sectors. The planet is home to the second largest stock exchange, the Terra Nova Stock Exchange, second only to the New York Stock Exchange on Earth. Most major corporations with a presence in UNE space have headquarters or substantial presences on Terra Nova, including a large number of foreign corporations. Most of the population lives and works in densely packed urban agglomerations that cover large parts of the planet's surface.

Aside from the financial sector, Terra Nova is a critical hub for logistics outside of the UNE's core sector. Even before the construction of Terra Nova Station, it was the final jumping off point for explorers, colonists, and traders heading into the frontier. Although that frontier has been largely settled, the planet still remains a critical stopover point for ships heading to and from Earth.

Due to the large population and small non-services sectors, the planet is required to import substantial amounts of food, energy, consumer goods, and general materials. This has been identified by the United Nations Security Council as a potential critical vulnerability in the UNE's core sector, as Terra Nova is - moreso than any other core world - vulnerable to blockades or supply line interdiction. Efforts have been made to make Terra Nova more self-sufficient, but they are swiftly undone by the rapidly growing population.