The ascent of humanity into space was almost accidental. In 2043 Rutherford Nance, lab assistant for a paleogeology project noticed a faint but distinct anomaly in a core series he had taken while studying the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. The cores in question were overlays of lava extrusions on the sea floor, pretty common, but with one odd difference. Meteorites had apparently impacted the lava during the event and thus were not in phase. They also exhibited a strange mass distorting effect. Comparing the measured mass with the calculated mass based upon density and molecular composition.
In 2075 the first colony ship, Einstein, set out for Gliese 581 quickly followed by four more the next year. Most of those embarking on the ships were looking for either a new start without limitations, wealth or simply adventure. Many of the explorers felt limited by the increasing government of Earth. By 2100 dozens of ships were in operation, though no precise account was kept due to the number of small ships that were built in space yards not controlled by governments and flew unlicensed. In addition, the planet Goldilocks commissioned its first ship in 2104 and several of the older colonies immediately followed suit. In a bid for prestige, many worlds claimed ship launchings which are dubious in nature, so no firm or even accurate count can be definitively made.
Regardless, inter-colony trading began in earnest by 2111 when regular freighter runs from Cradle, originally GenLab founded 2090 as a research station, were established to meet terraforming needs, specifically crops and animals. By this point in time, it would be safe to say there were at least 1000 ships involved in passenger, freight and emigration runs among worlds of men.
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