Welcome Commander!
This is Project Starlane. We are a community of system architects dedicated to creating a lane of colonized systems through the galaxy to allow everyone else to colonize the furthest reaches of our Milkyway without having to build out one system at a time from the bubble themselves.Our mission is simple. Carve a path or two of colonized systems through the galaxy to the more remote areas. Our first destination is an area within the Hawking's Gap region. From there, we will continue to explore and colonize new systems to create the first of our waypoints before setting off towards the Norma Expanse and hopefully the Trojan Belt.
How will you do this?
Glad you asked. The idea is to have a series 'hubs' and 'tether systems'. Tether systems are just one-outpost systems. These will stretch out for ~1000 lightyears to connect the 'hub systems'. Hub systems are multiple systems that we have built out specifically to act as production for the construction materials needed to colonize. This is both how we act as a bridge for other commanders, and how we will push out from the bubble with the goal of eventually never having to rely on going back to get more materials.However, in order to do this, Project Starlane is in need of Commanders who own carriers. These, along with our survey corps and a community willing to help us in this massive endeavor, are crucial to allowing us to complete this project.
How will it work?
The idea is to use multiple carriers to ferry massive amounts of construction material to colony systems in need of them. If we get enough carrier owners to participate, the goal is to have teams of 5 carriers. 4 of them will be transporting construction materials while the 5th carries Tritium. We'll be prioritizing systems with ice-ringed worlds for tether systems, so once a system's first outpost is built, carriers can just refuel through Tritium donations and mining. The fuel carrier is a back-up in case those systems become sparse.Tether systems won't have very much. Maybe a couple of outposts, but that's because we plan to have at least 1 cargo carrier to every tether system.
Hub systems are where things get more complicated. They will have actual starports and infrastructure to ensure that we can get the materials we need. To maximize our odds, we're limiting systems to 1 industry per system. Once we get to an area where we can build out hub systems, they'll be marked out with bookmarks shared through Elite's Squadron system. Construction materials will then be ferried from the previous hub over to the next, and work will begin.
We're aiming to get as much of the community in on this as possible. The more members we have, the faster this can be done. I plan to have 2 groups of Commanders. Carrier owners, and Surveyors. Surveyors will be the commanders that focus on exploring. They go out and share potential systems we can use as tethers, hubs, and waypoints along the way. Waypoints are simply going to be where we expand out in an area with a good collection of minable resources. Those will be determined through the hotspots that are found around ringed planets.
The way we'll order the colonization should allow for every single member of this project to own systems. That means that every one who joins in with us with eventually have a steady passive income to pay for their in-game hobbies. What we do is essentially rotate architects as we go. Let's say we start with carrier owners as the first wave of architects in a team. That means the Surveyors will be the next wave of architects once construction of the Carrier Owner's colonies are complete, and their timer is no longer ticking.
When do you plan on starting all of this?
Right now, we're focusing more on recruitment and helping those who don't have carriers get them. Those who already have carriers, we're asking to assist those who don't get the money for them.Those that do not have carriers, you want to have at least 6.5 billion credits. 5 billion for the carrier, and an extra billion to put into the carrier. The rest will go towards making sure you have enough to keep your carrier fueled and stocked with construction materials.
Since we're using a team-based system, once we have enough carriers to form the first team--that is 5 carriers per team--we will start work on the first systems that will make up Project Starlane's tether out of the Bubble.
How long will this take?
That entirely depends on how many members we can recruit and keep active on this mission. Every carrier team we get filled out should be able to tackle 1 system per carrier when making tethers. How fast they get it done depends on how many people help get those first outposts completed.Once we get to our first hub, things may slow down because it may take multiple carriers to complete the first station. Unlike tethers, hubs will be entirely tier 1 star ports. This is to make sure our largest ships can have access to ferrying building materials later on.
Hubs and wayppoints will largely be where our architects make their money from the passive income. Tethers will just be a single station, but hubs will have multiple star ports and infrastructure to support needed economies. Waypoints are essentially larger hubs. Mini-bubbles where resources in the surrounding systems are plentiful enough to expand beyond the needed industries.
Assuming it takes a carrier team two days to finish a system and a few hours to restock--it might take about ten and a half days to get to the first hub with just one carrier team. That might get cut in half with two teams if we have two carriers per system.
I don't think I can give an exact estimate on how long something this ambitious could take. I can say with certainty that unless we get a ridiculous amount of Commanders to chip in with this, it will take a long time. So, if you join, join with the expectation of spending a while on the project if you stay.
Okay, then where will you go?
The current path for Starlane takes the project into the Hawking's Gap region of the galaxy. Our current goal is to set up a waypoint--or a cluster of developed systems so we can continue towards The Norma Expanse. Later, these waypoints will be used to split off from the main project to create another path through the galaxy towards other uninhabited regions.And to clarify a previous answer to an earlier question: The way we're doing this is there will be 4 sets of Tether Systems that span out for ~1000 lightyears and converge on hub systems. This ensures that the bigger we get as a community, and the more we work together on this, the faster we can make Starlane a reality. If we can get enough carriers to get 4 teams set up, we can have 1 team per Tether System, which should make progress go by rather fast.
Why should I help Project Starlane?
This is arguably the most important question, because everyone has their own motives and goals in Elite. I could give you a number of reasons; the money you'll get from passive income, the community you'll help build, a chance to help new players get their footing as they help us, and if you're new--the support of a community that will teach you about the game and ways to make money, etc...Honestly, I can't tell you whether or not you should help us. It's up to you. If the idea of forming your own personal bubbles out in the black and helping to colonize the galaxy seems like something you want to do, then feel free to help out. If that's a dream of yours that you've always wanted to fulfill--now's your chance stake your claim amongst the stars. You'll receive the support and infrastructure to make long-range colonization possible. All we ask is that you help us in return.
If it doesn't seem interesting to you, then maybe you're interested in exploration? Our survey corps members will always need people to help explore the path beyond what Project Starlane will take. They are responsible for helping us find worlds that can help us set up the infrastructure we need, as well as worlds we can use to refuel our carriers. Speaking of--you'll always have a carrier or station that you can use to drop off your exploration data, repair, and refuel your ship before launching off on your next trek into the unknown.
Potential candidates for waypoints and hubs can be bookmarked and posted in the potential target systems channel on our discord.
If you don't like exploration, there will be plenty of opportunity to make money mining as well! We'll need miners to keep carriers topped up on fuel. Tritium carriers can have buy orders set up for Tritium if their reserves are low enough as well. And, hubs will allow you to trade certain minable commodities for construction materials that you can then sell to our cargo carriers. There will be lots of opportunity to trade what you mine!
And, if mining isn't your thing and you prefer combat, our haulers will need protection, as once a systems claim is completed and the first station is built, NPCs will begin spawning in that system. NPC pirates will be a threat to our haulers, so we could always use someone who likes to blow things up.
At the end of the day, whether you help us is up to you. We're all just here to have fun. However, if this is something that interests you, check out the Project Starlane HQ, and you can join our in-game Squadron by searching Starlane Enterprises. We have a lot more information about who we are, what we do, and what our goals are on our discord, but if you have any questions, feel free to ask them!