Space isn't just the final frontier... it's the infinite frontier. If you believe the 'time is an unending loop' theory, it's the first frontier too. The Void Engineers hit the Universe beyond the Horizon in the mid-nineteenth century. They reached the other planets of the solar system in the teens and '20s, and used what they learned to kick the Nephandi beyond the horizon in the '40s. They stretched beyond the solar system in the '50s. It would have been sooner but Einstein and Kepler were working together to find the error in the theory of relativity and Kepler refused to do any calculations with a computer, preferring to do all the calculations by hand. Once the error was found, faster-than-light travel became possible. The Pan-Dimensional Corps (PDC) continue to explore and map space.
- Solar Exploration Teams: The PDC teams in the Near Universe and Solar Space are responsible for creating and maintaining all the Horizon Realms, strengthening the Gauntlet, and monitoring Earth satellites, or Sentinels, both mechanically and analytically. The maintain the Dark Side Moon Base which acts as a monitoring and relay station, keeping an eye on the solar system and Deep Universe Sentinel posts. It's the central laboratory Construct and the staging point for all Exploration Teams in the solar system, or Solar Space. Border Corp platoons are also trained there. From the moon outward, ships explore the other planets. You'd be surprised how often teams find life the isn't supposed to be there - not that those secrets get out. The Sol Research Collective is a large Construct that orbits a fair distance from the sun. Other Conventions have representatives there as well, especially Iteration X. It has 25 scientists plus students, technicians, and enforcers. Their Solar Exploration Teams (SETs) move around a lot.
- Deep Exploration Teams: As much as the Convention focuses on Solar Space, they have members spread throughout the Galaxy. Deep Exploration Teams (DETs) go way beyond the edge of our solar system. The Cop, another Construct, circles Alpha Centauri A and acts as a staging point for the majority of DETs after DSM Base, excluding the ones based at the Sol Research Collective. Sectors are assigned to different DETs for study, mapping, and protection. These teams usually have at least four scientists and a team of Border Corps marines.[1] If you've heard of a region of space, there's a team there. Plus some regions you've never heard of.
- Cybernauts: The Engineers don't only explore the physical universe or the extradimensional one. PDC Cybernauts explore and map the Digital Web. From their Construct Antithesis, they engage in a strong rivalry with the Virtual Adepts for control and formatting of Virtual Space. The rivalry can sometimes feel more like a video game than a grudge match, however. Cybernauts tend to fall into two categories: hardcore mindkillers or swashbucklers who occasionally chase sides.[2] Many also seem to fall into the 'Bogies' society on-line, enjoying the chance to play Noir.[3]
- Chrononauts: Perhaps the riskiest business of all, the Chornonauts explore time... forward, backward, sideways. Forward mostly to avoid the Paradox Effect. Time research is still pretty basic and the current Temporal Field Inverters don't stay current long. A Chrononaut must carefully avoid any potential meeting with him or herself as the Paradox backlash could blow them both out of reality and that could start a chain reaction that could theoretically destroy all of reality.[4]
- References