2038

History
The SpaceRing, an electromagnetic mass driver, is completed in January 2038, with the first test conducted on March 11 with the Spaceplane Prudence. Prudence was accelerated to a speed of over 4,000 m/s in the SpaceRing before accelerating itself to 7,600 m/s, reaching suborbital space within 12 minutes and later forming an orbit with an apoapsis of 82,392 m and a periapsis of 82,340 m. Prudence completed an orbital flight before returning to Earth. The mission duration was 2 hours and 4 minutes. The cost for launching Prudence was calculated to be just over $400 per kilogram to Low Earth Orbit without considering the cost of construction of the SpaceRing, roughly an order of magnitude cheaper than previous endeavours.

Nostrand Industries completed their lunar base in June 2038, equipped with a quarry and mass deliverance systems. The base is scheduled to commence operations in later 2038, with a first scheduled shipment to Earth in 2039. The DTX-03 fusion reactor is completed by the INPA and Melton Industries in August, becoming the first nuclear fusion reactor to be constructed with efforts of a private company. The reactor served as a precursor to the DHX-04, the first energy-efficient nuclear fusion reactor.

JPCC nations started its own nuclear fusion program in November under the direction of the People's Congress of China. The program was kickstarted by the helium-3 shipments from Amari Corp in 2037.