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The Austin Colonization Company (AusCo) was founded in 2070 as the Branson Oil Company. Marcus Branson saw the future of the oil industry not as a fuel provider, but in synthetic materials. By 2081, Branson Oil was leading the way in the development of advanced synthetic and composite materials for aircraft and other uses. In 2099, Branson Oil purchased Bell-Dynamics Aircraft of Fort Worth in order to pursue industrial uses for its synthetic and composite materials. By 2100, Branson Aircraft held the large contracts to supply fighters and helicopters for the newly formed Republic of Texas. 2101 saw another milestone for Branson Oil. Branson Oil won a bid to help construct and maintain Texas' hydrogen net and solar power distribution net. By 2110, Branson Oil had reorganized itself into three major divisions: Branson Energy, Branson Aerospace, and Branson Firearms. The energy division concentrated on oil production, as well as building and maintaining hydrogen and solar power distribution systems throughout Latin America. Branson Aerospace was a major producer of advanced composite materials for aircraft and space uses, civilian and military aircraft, interface vehicles, and power satellites. Branson Firearms was created in 2108 in response to Mexican pressure on
Texas to limit American involvement in its military. Branson Firearms obtained cheap
licenses from Texan allies, Brazil and America in order to produce the latest in small
arms for the Texas military. Thus, foreign involvement in arming Texas was reduced without
Texas loosing its source of advanced weapons. 2137 marked a turning point for Branson and its long relationship with
Brazil. Branson was hired to design and construct a series of survey vessels for the
Brazilian Space program. Due to its manufacturing of synthetic and composite materials,
Branson Aerospace created a fairly advanced survey vessel which was very successful for
the Brazilians. In 2150, Branson Oil expanded into the arena of private prisons. Texas
was under pressure to keep government costs down, and the government turned to Branson to
provide low cost, private incarceration facilities. The success of these facilities in
Texas led to further contracts in Brazil, America, Australia and Britain. By 2225, Branson Oil was the premier producer of advanced synthetic materials. The company continued its growth and in 2226, the Texas government approached Branson Aerospace to design a large, multi-use colony/transport ship. Building on Texas' demand for a large starship which would showcase Texas' aerospace industry and synthetic materials advances, Branson Aerospace delivered the initial plans and cost projections for an unnamed class of starship. The price was considered too draining for a small nation such as Texas and the plan was dropped. Texas had discovered that interstellar colonization was very expensive.
Rather than give up its space program entirely, Texas called upon Branson Aerospace to
design a flexible and inexpensive survey vessel. 2230 saw two major milestones for Branson Oil. First, was the approval for the Cabeza de Vaca class survey vessel. The first ship of this design would begin construction in December of that year and begin its first space trials in 2235. Branson Oil also began contracting out the orbital shipyard space that
would be necessary to construct an unnamed starship of huge dimension. 2240 saw the Texas government announce plans for a colony in the DM-56 328 system. Texas called for private corporations to submit plans for colony infrastructures in order to keep the cost of this venture down. In 2241, Branson Oil reorganized itself into the Austin Colonization Company (AusCo) and announced that it had won the bidding process to establish the colony in the DM-56 328 system. Various members of the Branson family were named to head the different branches of the company, with David Branson taking on the title of President of AusCo. Named Impresario(colony contractor) by the Texas government, David Branson was directly responsible for fulfilling a colonization contract as well as following Texas Colonization laws while establishing a settlement in the Rho Eridani system. Late in the year, the first of the massive Stephen F. Austin class
colony ships was unveiled. Based on the earlier design deemed too expensive by Texas, the
SFA was a monstrous ship designed to move huge numbers of colonists and materials. 2254 saw the completion of the last two ships of the Stephen F Austin class as well as David Branson being named Impresario a second time. It was at this time that Texas announced a new colony in the DM-3 1123 system. This new colony was dubbed "Austin's World" and in 2258 the
three SFA class ships and AusCo delivered over 15,000 colonists to Austin's World and the
Rho Eridani system. This huge undertaking not only established Texas as a colonial power,
but allowed AusCo to create captive markets for its goods and services. Over the next 10 years, AusCo grew as a manufacturing company and freight company in the Chinese Arm of space. Its Incarceration Unit constructed an advanced orbital prison in the
Tirane system in 2264, which serves many nations and colonies as a holding area for
dangerous and career criminals. 2268 saw AusCo aid in the founding of the Texas enclave at 82 Eridani. 2268 to Present: AusCo continues to grow in the types of services and
manufacturing that it offers to the Chinese arm of space. While regulations and
restrictions can be frustrating, AusCo has prospered.
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