It was a beautiful, sunny day in Florida, and the large conference room on the top floor in one of the old NASA Buildings at Kennedy Space Center - now known as "ye olde money burning place" to most Americans - in private hands since the time of the decommissioning of the ISS - was slowly filling with members of the press, as they were promised a "groundbreaking announcement" by Alexander Benning, Founder of SpaceFlight Industries and one of the richest men in the United States. His company never lost the interest in Spaceflight and continued some research projects leftover from the disbanding of NASA, moved in to the old Facilities at Kennedy Space Center and hired almost every Researcher laid off by NASA nearly a decade earlier - led by the strong will and ideals that it's founder pushed forward - to get back to space - and this time, to really mean it.

It was almost noon when he finally entered the conference room and took his place on the podium in front of the audience - everyone silenced, and waited for the "big bang" that was promised to them.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, members of the press, members of the academic circle - in the Name of SpaceFlight Industries, I welcome you to this very halls, where only a decade ago, we almost buried our program for manned spaceflight. Today, on the very same place, I am hereby announcing plans for a bold future for mankind - not only that we shall return to manned spaceflight, that we shall return to the moon and this time not to visit but to stay - but that - to quote a famous man - before this decade is out, we will send not only a man, but a group of people - not to the moon, but to mars, to carry the spirit of exploration and our power as a nation to new frontiers."

Well - this was NOT what most people expected. Some were irritated, some even short of laughing .. there was a good reason manned spaceflight was buried after all. High cost, enormous travel times even in near-earth space.. and now a trip to planet Mars? Seriously? But, before people could burst into laughter and interrupt the speech, Mr. Bennet continued:

"I know, what I am proposing, no, announcing, may sound unrealistic and like a daydream to most of you, especially those that lived through the time when we buried everything here a decade ago. Let me tell you the real reason why we invited you all - as we moved in this facility, we also inherited most of the old NASA research staff and projects - and one project especially catched our eye. It was a feasibility study in using an antimatter reactor for spaceflight propulsion - and yes, it sounded like science fiction to us too. Until we found a way how to safely produce antimatter on a much larger scale than possible today by means like the LHC in Europe - on a scale large and economically viable enough to put it to use. So, today I am announcing that SpaceFlight Industries is currently designing AND buidling the first, man-rated Spaceship capable of travelling to Mars and beyond - currently being built to a mission profile including a 45 day trip to mars, a 90 day stay and a 60 day return trip. Even crew training is already commencing, if we can keep our schedule, it will be ready in less than a year."

Now everybody went silent - that was an even bolder claim than before.. but he sounded serious..

"We will use leftover Rockets from the cancelled Constellation Program to ferry the ship and landing modules - divided in 5 seperate parts for assembly in orbit - to space and to return the astronauts when they get back from their mission - all courtesy of nasa, those heavy lifters are still in remarkable condition."

Following this statement, he unveiled a large, hidden model showing the shape of the ship, and, for the press, much more importantly, featuring it's name in big, bold letters: S.F.I. Endeavour.