Timeline and chronology

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This page documents the succession of chronological events that have taken place within The Expanse universe.

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.

Interplanetary era

Ring Builder era

> 2,000,000,000 BXT

The Ring Builders evolve on their homeworld.
The Ring Builders achieve spaceflight.

ca. 2,000,000,000 BXT

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 galactic power. The species thrives.
Around this time, the Ring Builders encounter the protomolecule in Phoebe, and send Phoebe on a trajectory towards the primitive Earth.
Phoebe is caught by Saturn's gravity, sparing Earth's primitive life of the protomolecule.

1,500,000,000 BXT

The empire comes under attack by a mysterious force. The Ring Builders attempt to contain the attack by purging entire star systems, but are ultimately defeated and eradicated.

Pre-spacefaring era

ca. 200,000 BXT

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

9,000 BXT

The very first human settlements are built.

500 - 350 BXT

The two global conflicts are ignited between human alliances. About one hundred million people are killed.
The United States and the Soviet Union emerge as the two superpowers. The Cold War begins

Humanity lands on Luna.
Eventually, the USSR dissolves, leaving the United States as the sole superpower for decades to come.

Extraterrestrial colonization era

320 BXT

Mars is settled by humanity.

300 - 200 BXT

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

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

129 BXT

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

128 BXT

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

127 - 50 BXT

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

30 BXT

The OPA is founded.

12 BXT

Amos Burton departs Earth.

4 BXT

James Holden joins the United Nations Navy.

3 BXT

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

0 XTE

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

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

Tensioned era

8 XTE

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

The Canterbury is destroyed by Protogen.
The Donnager is destroyed by Protogen.

9 XTE

J. A. 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.

XTE-Alpha😷

Era Date		Event
(imprecise)^[1]	(precise)^[2]	Name/ID	Short Description	Principal Stakeholders/Participants
9XTE^[3] XTE–α(Ⅰ)	9.0.0.0	Phoebe experiment	Protomolecule Testing	Protogen & Martian Scientists
	9.1.0.0(?)	Scopuli/Anubis encounter
	9.1.1.0	Canterbury receives Scopuli's distress call	Knight Responds
	9.1.2.0	Canterbury/Anubis encounter
	9.1.2.1	Knight sends distress call
	9.1.2.3	Donnager responds to Knight's "mayday"
	9.1.3.0	Donnager attacked by unknown stealth ship(s)
	9.1.4.0	Tachi escapes Donnager
	9.1.4.1	Tachi contacts Tycho/Johnson
	9.1.4.2	Tachi becomes Rocinante
	9.1.5.0	Rocinante arrives at Tycho
	9.1.8.0	Julie Mao escapes Anubis	After eight days of entrapment/confinement, she breaks out. Discovers the contamination, stows the Anubis at BA834024112 and makes way to Eros aboard Anubis 1A.
		Miller arrives on Eros
		Rocinante crew arrive on Eros
		Blue Falcon	Miller meets Rocinante crew at Blue Falcon and together they defeat armed assailants
		Miller and the Rocinante crew find Julie Mao
		Dock explosion is staged
		Eros experiment	inhabitants are herded into shelters, intentionally contaminated with the extrasolar biotechnology and heavily irradiated.	Protogen & Antony Dresden, CPM Mercs hired from Ceres gangsters
10XTE^[3] XTE–α(Ⅱ)		Thoth Station
		Eros is rigged with explosives
		Nauvoo made into battering ram	Nauvoo targeted at Eros
		Eros evades Nauvoo
		Earth launches nuclear arsenal at Eros
		Eros collides with Venus

XTE-Beta👾

Era Date		Event
(imprecise)^[1]	(precise)^[2]	Name/ID	Short Description	Principal Stakeholders/Participants
11??XTE^[3] XTE–β(Ⅱ)	~11.6.0.0	child abductions	Caliban Protomolecule Human hybrid Testing	Mao-Kwikowski & Former Protogen Scientists including Strickland + Umea
	~11.6.0.1(?)	Protomolecule Hybrid released
	11.6.0.2	Ganymede conflict	Conflict erupts outside Ganymede station
	11.7.0.0	Armistice summit		UN (Earth) & MCR (Mars)
	11.8.0.0	Guanshiyin confrontation
		Arboghast




12XTE^[3] XTE–β(Ⅲ)	~12.0.0.0

XTE-Gamma😲

Era Date		Event
(imprecise)^[1]	(precise)^[2]	Name/ID	Short Description	Principal Stakeholders/Participants
13??XTE^[3] XTE–γ(Ⅲ)	~13.0.0.0









14XTE^[3] XTE–γ(Ⅳ)	~14.0.0.0

XTE-Delta😬

Era Date		Event
(imprecise)^[1]	(precise)^[2]	Name/ID	Short Description	Principal Stakeholders/Participants
15??XTE^[3] XTE–δ(Ⅳ)	~15.0.0.0









16XTE^[3] XTE–δ(Ⅴ)	~16.0.0.0

XTE-Epsilon🔧

Era Date		Event
(imprecise)^[1]	(precise)^[2]	Name/ID	Short Description	Principal Stakeholders/Participants
17??XTE^[3] XTE–ε(Ⅴ)	~17.0.0.0









18XTE^[3] XTE–ε(Ⅵ)	~18.0.0.0