Bethesda have released some new details about Starfield's lore, letting us know the timeline leading up to the events of the game.
We start in 2050, when humans first arrive on Mars. This seems to be a huge step forward for space colonisation as by 2100, it is stated that humans are able to live in space. We then jump to 2156, which is when humanity arrives in Alpha Centauri.
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Alpha Centauri is 4.57 light years away from Earth, meaning by this point we've got some faster-than-light travel capabilities. Then, in 2159, the United Colonies are established and by 2160, New Atlantis is founded and by the next year it is the official capital of the United Colonies. You can check out the full timeline leading up to our story in 2328 here, as there's a lot of ground to cover and a lot of lore to dive into.