SE-3 (Known on paper as Solar Explorer - 3) is the space craft launched as a last chance for human survival.
SE-3 isn't a work of art, it isn't the latest in technology. But it's all the dying human race has.


In the year of 2026 the SE program was launched, and planed to build three vehicles: SE-1, SE-2 and SE-3.
However, the company that would build these vehicles, (known as ASE) got very little funding, because of the SE program, and it's "darkness"

These SE vehicles, would be built in LEO, and after they were finished, a crew of four (plus a fifth, robotic crew member), and supplies, would be launched onto the vehicle. Then the SE vehicle would launch out of the solar system, and never return. These vehicles, would carry a very large amount of fuel, to make it out, and go very far into space, within the crew's life time.
Throughout their life long mission, they would send multiple probes, two landers, and other supplies, into space as a sign of life, and to continue space exploration.

The original SE program, was set to cancel, and all three vehicles, were canceled. because the program became obsolete, when billions were spent to research the ability to "harness the energy within stars" This research was mostly a success. Earth was able to generate an Interstellar portal, that sits between Saturn, and Jupiter. However, the resources on Earth drained faster then what was expected, so in the year 2046, Roscosmos and ASE built SE-3, and loaded it with human clone cells, and sent it on it's way to the portal, to start a new human race, as the old one vanished.

It was a very hard decision to make, for the human race, but it was best, the world was crashing, money was becoming useless, and countries were falling. It wasn't until the U.S.A closed NASA, and went to war for resources. At that moment, it was clear that the world was done, and the only way out was up. SE-3 isn't a work of art, it isn't the latest in technology. But it is all that the vanishing human race could build in such little time.

In the end, the SE-3 launch was a success. It's been two years now, and we... the crew of SE-3, have just lost one of our power sources, but we still have hope. We stopped hearing from mission control, back on earth, and we've just made it past Saturn. The portal is so close, and we're ready for it.
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SE-3 was actually a space craft I made up a while ago, and thought it would be perfect for the Project 2048 | Space Exploration Build Contest. I hope you all enjoy this rugged space craft.

I've chosen a more rugged look, for the spacecraft, because Space Exploration doesn't evolve a lot, unlike technology. We haven't even been to the moon again, in fifty years. So, because the theme is a dying world, and space exploration, I thought it would fit best, as a rugged, not so perfect, cheep, yet perfect space craft. There wasn't a lot of money, or resources, but SE-3 was just enough. I even used Apollo lunar landers, to try to show the little amount of money, that was able to go into SE-3.

Also, the structure is built as if there's no gravity. you're not going to find stairs, or ladders.