Mars

Mars is a terraformed planet located in the human Sol system. It is currently occupied by the United States.

Prehistory
Before the terraforming project it was a cold and barren planet beset by a thin, toxic carbon dioxide atmosphere and solar radiation. But mankind has long been fascinated by this planet, from its representation as gods (such as its namesake in the Roman God of War) to an abode for dying alien civilizations, and finally the subject of plans for exploration and eventual colonization.

Exploration
On March 23rd, 1970, the first manned mission to Mars was conducted using the new [REDACTED]-based FTL engines on their spacecraft. Upon landing on the surface, the astronauts there planted a single American flag, which was specially-designed to withstand and stay erect in the thin and dusty Martian atmosphere.

Colonization and Terraforming
After nearly a decade of planning and exploration by NASA's well-known probes, Mars was finally colonized on June 4th, 1973, making it America's first true extraterrestrial colony. There the colonists and scientists there immediately continued plans for terraformation.

The Red Revolt of 2005
Though mostly peaceful and prosperous, living live on Mars was not without its problems. On August 4th, 2005, a group of Anarcho-Communists called the New Proletariat Front, staged an armed revolt on Opportunity, the planetary capital on Mars. They were able to defeat the local police forces despite being outnumbered. Later that same day, they stormed into the Opportunity Capitol Building and then took Governor Austin McGellic hostage, threatening to kill him if the US Government does not secede Mars to them. At the time Captain Wilson was orbiting Mars aboard the Liberty-class frigate the USS Jacobin when USSF command sent him on a mission to deal with the NPF and save Governor McGellic. With the commands carried out he sent his ship to the Martian surface, and a brief but bloody battle took place with a small transport ship full of communist rebels. The Jacobin opened fire, blasting the ship in two. To this day, some of the rubble from the ship still orbits around Mars. By the start of the Human-Sargist War, Governor McGellic is still in office.