As the Republic grew in size, the need for the ability to communicate in a timely manner across vast distances grew much more important. Early messages were capped at the speed of light, resulting in significant delays in receiving and processing news.

The Umbrian Republic has established outposts in a number of different systems where no naturally habitable biosphere is present, including several whose worlds represent near misses for sustaining Umbrian life. These worlds are tantalizing targets for futurists, dreamers, and would-be terraformers.

A vast number of different propulsion types have been fitted to Umbrian spacecraft since it first began launching objects into space, including chemical rockets, electronic thrusters, solar sails, beam-powered devices, and nuclear pulse engines. While all were capable of propelling objects through space, the most effective proved to be electric engines, such as ion or plasma thrusters. These are commonly referred to ion engines or ion thrusters, no matter their actual subtype.

As the Republic expanded and its population ballooned, its need for various raw materials increased exponentially. Unfortunately, drawing resources directly from Umbria and her colonies presented challenges which negatively impacted the habitability of those worlds and the long-term sustainability of their natural biospheres.

Recent technological enhancements over the last twenty years have fundamentally transformed the way in which consumer products are manufactured. Advances in the speed and capabilities of printing various substances into finished goods has resulted in an explosion of personal microfabricating devices, while innovative entrepreneurs have begun establishing chains of on-demand specialty manufacturers.

The development of clean, safe nuclear power was one of the most significant developments in the history of the Republic. Initial fission plants offered significant improvements over various combustion-based alternatives. However, fission plants produced radioactive waste which was expensive to dispose of and had significant half-lifes, the time it takes the material to expend its unstable energy through radiation.