THE UNITED EARTH SPACE PROBE AGENCY
The United Earth Space Probe Agency (UESPA) is a civilian scientific and research space organization first founded in 2067, four years after first contact with the Vulcan race at Bozeman, Montana. Originally simply known as the "Space Agency", UESPA absorbed the United Nations Space Fleet and by 2130 had become the sole regulatory agency responsible for certifying warp craft flight training and the operation of warp drive engines in space. In 2135, UESPA became the civilian oversight agency for the Earth Starfleet.
UESPA ORGANIZATION
The United Earth Space Probe Agency is headed by an Administrator who is appointed by the Prime Minister of Earth and confirmed by the Earth Congress. The UESPA Headquarters and Flight Control Center are located in Houston, Texas on the site of the original NASA flight complex of the United States of America. UESPA also oversees the Warp Five Complex in Bozeman, Montana as well as various smaller scientific and mission operations centers at various locations across Earth. The UESPA Space Corps further operates various scientific research space vessels.
UESPA Organization in the 2140s
UESPA SPACE FLEET
The space fleet of the UESPA consists of various scientific research ships. There are three different classes of engine design (ring, nacelle, and direct propulsion). Per the UESPA charter, all space vessels are unarmed and designed for research purposes only.
General command structure of UESPA space vessel crews. In addition to the commissioned officers shown above, the additional position of "Crewman" exists to augment all officer roles
The UESPA Medal of Exploration is awarded for monumental discoveries accomplished through space exploration.
UESPA TRAINING
The UESPA training facility at Lunaport is the sole facility authorized to certify space mariners as astronauts (in addition to a ground school located in Houston). The standard Space Flight Certification Course (known colloquially as "Flight School") is twenty-four months in length with additional follow-on courses depending upon the career path of the applicant. In its early days, UESPA then required space fleet candidates to complete an additional 18 months of simulator training, however UESPA now assigns such personnel to active duty UESPA vessels under the unique rank of "Midshipman".
The standard UESPA training course for space vessel personnel. UESPA Crewman, as well as Mission Specialists, undergo abbreviated training with only specific courses
Beginning in the early 2140s, UESPA entered into an agreement with Starfleet to provide a series "cross training courses" for Extra-Vehicular (EVA) certification, auxiliary spacecraft operation, and general spacecraft flight training. In 2145, UESPA conducted a series of training courses on shipyard operations and starship construction, leading to Starfleet assuming control of the Earth Drydock (then renamed as the Starfleet Shipyard) in March 2146.
UESPA HISTORY
One of the first tasks of UESPA was to take control of the short-lived United Nations space fleet which had launched the ill-fated SS Valiant in 2065. Shortly thereafter, UESPA launched the first warp space probe, Friendship 1 on April 27, 2067.
In the early years of its existence, several of Earth's nations did not recognize UESPA as a true United Earth representative organization; therefore, UESPA was frequently referred to simply as "the space agency" until approximitely 2118.
UESPA-Friendship 1
The Conestoga Class Colony Ship
One of UESPA's early failures was the Terra Nova expedition, in which the SS Conestoga successfully founded the planet Terra Nova only to have the colony fail five years later. Another early challenge for UESPA was the creation of the Earth Cargo Service in 2097, considered an independent space agency until 2128 when UESPA was granted statute authority to certify all space mariners as astronauts.
In 2119, UESPA was designated as the oversight agency for the new Warp Five Complex, tasked with successfully creating a prototype Warp Five engine by the year 2160. During the 2120s, UESPA also assumed control of the Earth Drydock, the primary shipbuilding facility for warp vessels, as well as Earth Orbital Control which oversees warp traffic through the Sol system.
Various classes of UESPA vessels in the 2120s
In March of 2135, UESPA was directed by the United Earth Congress to form a new organization known as the "Earth Starfleet". A Director of Starfleet Operations was appointed in August 2135 with this new organization declared to be a subordinate office to UESPA Mission Operations. The Earth Starfleet operated from UESPA headquarters until 2137, after which Starfleet relocated to Starfleet Headquarters in San Francisco, while a small UESPA liaison office remained in Houston.