PROLOGUE: TRAPPIST-2
When the Transiting Planets and Planetesimals Small Telescope (TRAPPIST) operated by the University of Liège in Belgium first published their finding of planets in the habitable zone of the star 2MASS J23062928-0502285, the public was excited at the potential of new Earth-like worlds around a distant star. Up to seven roughly Earth-sized worlds were identified. Unfortunately, their sun was an ultra-cool red dwarf, meaning that its habitable zone was so close to the star that even the farthest planet had a “year” of only eighteen days. The planets were also likely tidally locked, with one face permanently facing the star, resulting in extreme hot-versus-cold temperatures, and if they had atmospheres, turbulent conditions at the edge of day and night.
Enthusiasm for the system as a target for colonization cooled as quickly as the night side of one of TRAPPIST-1’s planets.
It was only fitting that when a much more appropriate candidate system was identified, it would be by the same team, and the newly labeled TRAPPIST-2 system once again captured the imagination of the public.
The yellow-dwarf star was initially shown to have three Earth-sized rocky planets and two larger gaseous worlds. The habitable zone was similar to Sol’s, at 0.75 to 1.5 AU, with one rocky planet firmly within the zone. With such an ideal candidate for an extra-solar home for humanity, the TRAPPIST-2 Colony Foundation set their sights on establishing the first interstellar colony on TRAPPIST-2c—eventually named “Cistercia.”
Construction of the colony ship Victoria began in Mars orbit in the year 2150 but was almost immediately met with criticism. One of the key arguments was not so much against the mission, but against putting all of the colonization effort into one ship. Repeated redesign of the cryostasis systems for hibernation for the 10,000 colonists and preservation of the hundreds of thousands of fertilized animal ova caused numerous delays in construction of the Victoria. TCF bowed to pressure and began construction of a second ship, Prometheus, which would be sent in advance to TRAPPIST-2. The fully automated, uncrewed Prometheus would initiate terraforming and infrastructure development to ensure that TRAPPIST-2c would be ready for the colonists on arrival.
—From the Encyclopedia Astra, published by Gannon University, Antonia, Cistercia, AA212