I run this game every couple years, upgrading the TL each time and comparing to previous runs. This is the 3rd incarnation, TL 12.

In reply to GM (msg # 1):

Over 200 years ago, Earth colonized the Solar System: Luna, mars, and the Earth-Luna L4 and L5 points, mainly, but with Belt Miners setting up permanent and mobile satellites, as well. later the belters spread out to Saturn's Rings, and the Stellar Colonization Program was started.

The first 50 years of the program, which was then privately run, was found to be rife with scandal and misinformation. They had no secret to hibernation or repairing the damage cosmic rays would cause over a century or more of flight. Colonization would have ended then, but for the development of nanotech for medical use. DNA Repair and Nano Stasis made a century or more of space travel safe, and Ram Scoops made it much faster. relatively speaking.

Nor did technology quit advancing, and the SCP has been at the leading edge of utilizing new technology as it has been developed.
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:13, Sat 15 Apr 2023.

Every 10 years, the SCP's satellite around Saturn trains 3 crews of colonists for the regular taxpayer funded colonization of the stars.

Depending on this decade's ship model (and they are redesigned every decade) the crew and colonists will number anywhere from 10,000 to 15,000 per ship. Ninety percent of the ship's complement are Colonists. Qualifying young men and women aged 18 to 21 from throughout the Solar System, chosen by lottery. No special privileges allowed. There is no way to get on a colony ship as colonist except through the random selection process.

While 30,000 are selected, only 27,000 will be going. The rest are alternates, in case someone opts out, or is unable to complete training. Those alternates that don't make it to a ship are given the option of training as Crew for the next mission, in 10 years.

The other 10% are Crew: fully trained and experienced specialists. Pilots who are trained in interplanetary craft, glider landings, aerospace craft, as well as certain craft in the hanger meant for use on planet. Scientists in a variety of fields to determine information about the new solar system when the ship is close enough, as well as the destination planet. Crew to supervise Colonists when operating the ship's systems (which requires about 5100 maintenance crew), plus farming and ranching experts, miners, builders, etc. All mostly supervisors for the crew, of course.

It's easy to tell crew from colonist: Colonists are barely 20, crew are in their 30s.
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:17, Sat 15 Apr 2023.

I'll start with you folks more or less solo, but probably only for the first week. you'll get your notices and make your arrangements, then move on to the craft which will get you to Saturn and the SCP Satellite.

Then the groups will come together, go through orientation and background training, with some opportunity for interaction.

Then comes your choice of specialty training. I still need to reconstruct the specialties. This will be free points.

Then graduation which includes a visit to the local Recreation Satellite and a final shopping trip before leaving the Solar System forever.

Then comes planet fall. Well, possibly not. You may or may not be woken up beforehand to help run the ship as the Crew analyzes everything and makes the decisions. Plus  certain chores that need to be done in orbit. However, be aware, this depends on whether the group has useful skills for ships maintenance. it will be a random determination (you all will have basic hydroponics skills, after all) modified by what specialty training you have, plus or minus. I will awaken the whole group or skip to landfall, depending.

I will randomly generate the new System and Planet from Gurps Space after training is completed. I can't hint at what I don't know.

There may or may not be intelligent life. There WILL be life and an oxygen atmosphere, but it's been 200 years since ships were first sent out, so each new system is farther than the last, which makes information acquisition hard from the Solar System. There may well be surprises.

If issues are learned soon enough that you're still going fast enough for Ram Scoops to do some good, you'll go back to sleep and the ship will continue to the alternate destination. Hopefully that one will be colonizable.
This message was lightly edited by the GM at 18:20, Sat 15 Apr 2023.