User:Delta Team Curt/Spirit of Progress

"Alden: The Spirit of Progress''? Greenberg: Yes. Do you recognize the name? Alden: What, do you think I’ve been living under a rock for a year or something?"

- Lauryn Alden and Greenberg

The Spirit of Progress is an orbital station in geosynchronous high orbit over Earth that serves as the spaceborne headquarters facility for Acumen Science Laboratories.

History
The orbital station that would come to be the Spirit of Progress was originally designed in early 2530 to serve the joint offices of Acumen Technologies and Jennings & Rall. Acumen turned its attention to establishing a new corporate headquarters during substantial increase in government contracts being awarded during the beginnings of the Human-Covenant War for research intended for use by the military.

The design process entered its first phases in late 2528 with just under twenty company personnel under codename AMELIORATION. Initial conceptual architecture was deemed less than desirable by the Board of Directors. To advance AMELIORATION, Jennings & Rall onto the project to aid the smaller team in the creation of a suitable design.

The Spirit of Progress was unveiled during the annual Stockholder Meeting in Munich during 2530 and received a reception beyond what anyone had hoped for and passed with a unanimous vote by company stockholders. Construction was slated to begin in late 2531 in Jennings & Rall shipyard in orbit around the outer colony world of Ambrosia. Only three weeks after the first sections began construction the colony world was reported glassed after the UNSC 3rd Fleet stumbled upon the razed planet.

Upon inspection, the orbital shipyard was considered a total loss, the structural integrity of the station had been compromised and the few sections built for Spirit of Progress were declared to be beyond repair. As colony after colony fell under the Covenant war machine, AMELIORATION was suspended indefinitely while both J&R and ASL diverted their resources towards preserving their own institutions and fulfilling defense contracts.

As the Human-Covenant War neared the inner colonies, the need for a new corporate headquarters became apparent as several key Acumen facilities were destroyed over a span of several months. With increased funding, Jennings & Rall restarted construction of Sprit of Progress during March of 2551 in its Neptunian Shipyards.

In under a year the structure of the station had been completed, the incomplete Spirit of Progress was placed in geosynchronous orbit around Earth mid-February. Completion of the orbital station the Spirit of Progress came under Acumen Technologies, Otis Elevators, Sikorski Aerospace, and Davenport Electronics, all responsible for equipping Spirit of Progress with top of the line computer, communication, transportation, and life support systems available.

When Covenant ships entered the Sol Station, crews aboard the Spirit of Progress immediately turned over control of the orbital station to FLEETCOM to make use of its sophisticated computing systems and Jennings & Ralls DATACOM network. Despite the naval engagement, both J&R and ASL crews working aboard the station were able to maintain its structural integrity despite taking damage from both UNSC and Covenant ships.

Repairs were made in the short lull between the First and Second Battles of Earth, and damaged communication and computer systems were replaced as the UNSC, J&R, and Acumen all braced for the upcoming clash. When the battle started, ONI had assumed command of Spirit of Progress to serve as a command post for the UNSC Defenders. Despite multiple attempts to board the station, Ravenwood and Acumen Paramilitary managed to hold out against overwhelming odds.

The Spirit of Progress was completed only seven days after the end of the Human-Covenant War and served as a symbol of hope as Humanity was thrust towards an uncertain future following the Great War.