The Exploratory Mission of the VanGuard

The early 02230s brought a new mission to the VanGuard following the end of the First Felinoid Conflict.  With new classes of ships entering service almost yearly, the VanGuard decided to put them to work exploring the local region surrounding the Terran sphere of influence.

VanGuard vessels served as troop transports during the Xenoroach Campaigns, as well as combat warships during the T'Garan Conflict, but their most important roles were as ships of exploration.  The Audy Murphy super-cruiser seen here once hauled Alpha Marines between Terran bases in the Solar System and several Xenoroach-infested worlds before serving as a line combatant against the T'Garans.  It wound down its service career in the 02250s ferrying xenobiologists between Ganymede Station and other worlds of the Sirius Sector.

 The era from 02230 until 02270 was a time marked by deep space voyages that would set the stage for later exploratory efforts that would continue until roughly 02400 and would be an era of high adventure exploring the Wonders of the Galaxy which would be reflected on in future time periods of human history.

The starship crews of the VanGuard embraced their new role as explorers, setting aside the military duties of the prior decades and venturing out into the great unknown.  This picture shows an old Terran Cruiser completing its last scientific mission and transferring responsibilities to one of the newer Exploratory Cruisers circa 02270.