YET MOAR MARS
Another Overheaven flag, this time for the Commonwealth of Martian Territories, better known as "Tharsis", "American Tharsis" or the "Tharsis Commonwealth". The story of Tharsis begins on July 4th 1976, when astronaut Robert H Lawrence, Jr planted the American flag on the Red Planet as part of the Ares 1 mission, and established the foundation for Tesla, USA - the very first settlement on Mars - a couple hours later.
The CMT was established during the Ronald Reagan administration in 1981 as one of science-fiction fan's first acts as President. Based on proposals from the preceding John Glenn administration, the CMT was divided into twelve territories - Kennedy, Valles Marineris, Roosevelt, Daedalia, Eisenhower, New Saigon, Olympus Mons, Alba, Borealis, Tempe, Solis and Araby, plus a federal district - Tesla, District of Ares. In 1996, a thirteenth territory was added - the Reagan Territory. In 1999, the CMT has a population of around 508,000 residents, and by then nearly 40% were native-born Martians. Citizens of Tharsis would automatically have US citizenship, send an elected representative to DC, use the US dollar as their legal tender, and have the protection of the United States via the United States Army and the Tharsis National Guard. However, due to the sheer logistics of interplanetary travel and communication, the Tharsians would necessarily have a high degree of control over their own internal affairs, including electing their own President, who runs the show alongside his Vice President and a (mostly ceremonial) High Commissioner, sent from Earth and appointed by the US President to act as his representative on Mars.
Tharsis remained in free association with the United States until the end of World War III (2037-2039) on Earth, and the EuroTAK War (2038-2041) on Mars, when an...awkward set of geopolitical and astropolitical circumstances in 2041 led American Tharsis, British Avalon and Japanese Kasei to form the three pillars of an independent Mars, in the form of the Martian Assembly.
As of 2285, Tharsis remains the largest polity on Mars, even if borders these days mean relatively little on a federalized Mars.
The Tharsian flag obviously evokes the stars and stripes of the OG American flag. The Betsy Ross-style ring of thirteen stars are meant to evoke the "Bicentennial" spirit in which the American colonization of Mars began. The central red disk with the white chevron is meant to evoke: the traditional astrological symbol for Mars (without appearing to symbolize the masculine gender); reference the mission patch for the Ares 1 mission (which features a white chevron over an image of Mars); and evoke the image of a Spartan shield (and therefore the Greek god, Ares).
I do plan on coming up with flags for each of the thirteen territories of Tharsis. Will definitely post those here in the future when I have them all done.
Another Overheaven flag, this time for the Commonwealth of Martian Territories, better known as "Tharsis", "American Tharsis" or the "Tharsis Commonwealth". The story of Tharsis begins on July 4th 1976, when astronaut Robert H Lawrence, Jr planted the American flag on the Red Planet as part of the Ares 1 mission, and established the foundation for Tesla, USA - the very first settlement on Mars - a couple hours later.
The CMT was established during the Ronald Reagan administration in 1981 as one of science-fiction fan's first acts as President. Based on proposals from the preceding John Glenn administration, the CMT was divided into twelve territories - Kennedy, Valles Marineris, Roosevelt, Daedalia, Eisenhower, New Saigon, Olympus Mons, Alba, Borealis, Tempe, Solis and Araby, plus a federal district - Tesla, District of Ares. In 1996, a thirteenth territory was added - the Reagan Territory. In 1999, the CMT has a population of around 508,000 residents, and by then nearly 40% were native-born Martians. Citizens of Tharsis would automatically have US citizenship, send an elected representative to DC, use the US dollar as their legal tender, and have the protection of the United States via the United States Army and the Tharsis National Guard. However, due to the sheer logistics of interplanetary travel and communication, the Tharsians would necessarily have a high degree of control over their own internal affairs, including electing their own President, who runs the show alongside his Vice President and a (mostly ceremonial) High Commissioner, sent from Earth and appointed by the US President to act as his representative on Mars.
Tharsis remained in free association with the United States until the end of World War III (2037-2039) on Earth, and the EuroTAK War (2038-2041) on Mars, when an...awkward set of geopolitical and astropolitical circumstances in 2041 led American Tharsis, British Avalon and Japanese Kasei to form the three pillars of an independent Mars, in the form of the Martian Assembly.
As of 2285, Tharsis remains the largest polity on Mars, even if borders these days mean relatively little on a federalized Mars.
The Tharsian flag obviously evokes the stars and stripes of the OG American flag. The Betsy Ross-style ring of thirteen stars are meant to evoke the "Bicentennial" spirit in which the American colonization of Mars began. The central red disk with the white chevron is meant to evoke: the traditional astrological symbol for Mars (without appearing to symbolize the masculine gender); reference the mission patch for the Ares 1 mission (which features a white chevron over an image of Mars); and evoke the image of a Spartan shield (and therefore the Greek god, Ares).
I do plan on coming up with flags for each of the thirteen territories of Tharsis. Will definitely post those here in the future when I have them all done.
