The TTA, formerly the World Trade Authority, was founded in 2099 as a subsidiary of the United Nations, charged with the task of administering all international trade. Four years later the Commercial Technology Division of the World Community Research Council was absorbed into the WTA structure, including the fabrication yards of the Space Research Centre. Following the Trade Agreement with Alpha Centauri, the name was changed to the Terran Trade Authority and its responsibility was extended to cover interstellar commerce. To meet the growing demand for more extensive spacecraft manufacturing facilities, the TTA undertook the construction of the great Mars Shipyards which were completed in 2146, although ships were coming off the slips as early as 2138. Primarily an administrative body, the TTA is nevertheless also a major manufacturing concern, producing a wide range of specialized products from medical and scientific research equipment to the energy-absorbent Defense Shields of which it is the sole supplier. Here at last is the comprehensive, all-color guide to the major spacecraft of the last century, 2100 to 2200 AD, the time of the great advances in space technology that followed the first, hesitant steps of the early 21st century. Primarily an identification manual, it examines the major types of spacecraft operating during the period, including those inhabited systems of Alpha and Proxima Centauri, giving details of their development and operational history, and charts of their technical specifications. The book is divided into sections covering Military, Civil & Commercial and Special Function, and the craft range from sleek interceptors through specialized research vessels to private yachts. The individual stories of these craft are set against the historical background which created them. New industrial techniques and resources led to more advanced ships which opened the door to further possibilities in an accelerating spiral of development. Here then, is the story of humanity's journey to the stars and the means by which it was made. Book jacket.