The Second Space Race

----Map Key----
*Blue: American Allies
*Red: Union State Allies
*Purple: French Guyana, officially neutral as part of the 'Uninvolved' NATO countries, however in reality very friendly towards Russians.
NOTE: At no time during the Second Cold war did either side have more that 2000 military personnel in each allied country. The Russians did this to avoid a provocation of war via the American Monroe Doctrine, the US did this to prevent themselves from being militarily overstretched.

---Timeline---
2012 - Russia begins launching its updated Soyuz Rockets from French Guiana, giving them an advantage over the Americans in space launch capability.

2013- SpaceX launches its first manned Dragon capsule to the ISS, ending the reign of Russian dominance over manned spaceflight to the station.

2014- The US Signs the Miami Protocols with Guyana, promising economic development in exchange for the creation of an American administered launch site in the southern portion of the country. Suriname signs the treaty under similar conditions later in the year.

2015- Russia shocks the world by making a Lunar flyby with its modified Soyuz-K launch vehicle; sending two Cosmonauts and one German Tourist within 60 miles from the Lunar surface. The US Congress approves over 200 Billion dollars of additional funds to NASA to be spent on manned space exploration.

2016- The US begins quietly funding a military buildup in the Guianas to protect their launch sites from Russian proxies. SpaceX launches its first Falcon X rocket. Later in the year the launch vehicle is used to send a manned mission to a Near Earth Asteroid.

2017- President Huntsman announces plans for a manned Mission to Mars by 2025. SpaceX receives billions in funding to develop the launch and escape vehicles. Russia sends some 1000 "advisers" to French Guiana to aid in the military development of the Region. France grants the region autonomous status to avoid confrontation with the Americans.

2018- Russia lands the first person on the Moon in half a century. American college graduates with Astronautical Engineering degrees are at an all time high.

2019- SpaceX unveils its Falcon XX super-heavy lifter; the largest and most powerful rocket in history; as well as the first American rocket to employ Full Flow Cycle engine technology.

2021- The ISS is expanded to include additional modules built by Bigelow Aerospace, and an additional VASIMR driver for orbital maneuvering.

2022- SpaceX begins launching the first components of the Von Braun spacecraft into orbit from the Guyana and Suriname launch sites. The craft will essentially be a space station for crews to train until it finally launches.

2023- The Union State formally collapses, however the American commitment to a Mars Mission remains. Many Russian Rocket Scientists remain in French Guiana to found their own private spaceflight company, Angara Launch Services.

2024- The US lands the first human in history on the surface of the red planet.