The Zeus was a short-range spacecraft developed by Roberts Space Industries (RSI), and was the first ship equipped with a quantum drive to be offered to civilians on the commercial market. After the first quantum drive was developed by RSI for the military in 2075, demand for a civilian version grew until eventually the first commercial quantum-enabled spaceship prototype was produced during the 2130s. Known as the Zeus, the ship was not released until 2140 due to issues with hull integrity in its early test flights. After many project delays, RSI enlisted aid from Navy test pilot Michelle Saleno, the first Human to quantum travel beyond the orbit of Jupiter (Sol V). Saleno convinced the Amecanio Navy to form the 999th Test Squadron for the evaluation of cutting-edge spaceships, and the Navy agreed to use the 999th to help RSI refine the Zeus. After a complete overhaul of the Zeus's hull based on the advice of Saleno and the 999th, Saleno successfully piloted the Zeus in 2137. The availability of the Zeus was key in accelerating the early expansion of Humans beyond their home planet.
