RedApe

Sow the seeds of simian dissent with this graphic image of primate rebellion.

By the mid-22nd Century, all major space-faring powers have established observatories on the far or "dark" side of the Moon. Insulated from Earth's ceaseless radio chatter by 2,159 miles of Lunar rock, telescopes now probe the depths of cosmic time and space with an unprecedented clarity. Nearly 150 astronomers now work in these isolated little colonies where the Earth is forever hidden beneath the horizon. It is perhaps not surprising then that the observatory based at the crater Tsiolkovskiy has come to possess a particularly symbolic value, haunted as it is by the words of the long-dead visionary whose name it bears: "Earth is the cradle of humanity, but one cannot remain in the cradle forever."

Mars’ settlements now number over half a dozen, making it the fastest-growing colony in the Solar System. With Terran shipping costs prohibitive, feeding the increasing Martian population using the planet’s own resources has become a vital industry with several specialist firms in fierce competition. Foremost among these is the Red Eden Exo-Farming Company. Like most of its rivals, Red Eden began with hydroponics, exploiting the water locked in the Martian permafrost. Whilst continuing to perfect these methods, however, the company soon established itself as a pioneer of nitrate-enrichment techniques which it has used to create large enclosed tracts of crop-bearing Martian Soil. Having worked on the red planet for nearly a century, ...

By the close of the 21st Century, unmanned space probes have verified the existence of complex organic chemistry in the frozen wastes of Europa’s surface ice. Now, in the mid-22nd Century, a manned mission is being sent to Jupiter’s ice-bound satellite for the first time. After it lands, the crew will spend five lonely years penetrating the icy crust and probing the mysteries of a vast, hidden ocean in the ongoing search for extra-terrestrial life.

By the mid-22nd Century, the commercial exploitation of the solar system is well established. Awarded rights to mine asteroids in stable orbit at Jupiter's Lagrange points, the Trojan Ore Company has become one of the most successful enterprises to venture across interplanetary space.

Currently the most remote permanent settlement in the Solar System, the colony on Saturn's moon Titan is also one of the richest. Exploiting the satellite's extensive hydrocarbon lakes and the abundance of deuterium and helium-3 in the Saturnian system, Titan has become one of the major players in a fusion energy economy.

Since the establishment of a permanent international base on the Moon in 2078 AD, two centuries of colonisation have seen an increasing human presence off the earth. Separate communities now thrive not only on Earth’s nearest neighbour, but across the Solar System. The deserts of Mars, the icy wastes of Jupiter’s great moon Ganymede and the rich hydrocarbon lakes of the Saturnian satellite Titan all bear the mark of human occupancy. Exploitation of each world’s unique resources has led to substantial economic and social independence from Earth, and a second and third generation has now grown up without ever setting foot on Terrestrial soil. And what the isolation of interplanetary space has begun, gravity has finished. For the bodie...

A cautious academic, this chimpanzee is nonetheless drawn into a heretical conflict with the simian establishment, and breaches taboo by venturing into the Forbidden Zone in a search for answers. GENERAL URSUS also available.

Supreme commander of the Ape Army, he hopes to gain new territories, victory and glory as he leads his troops into the Forbidden Zone. CORNELIUS also available.