The year is 3665. Humanity has spread among the stars, coming into contact with a myriad of alien races and a sprawling intergalactic empire. There were wars, but those are centuries gone. Long story short, the Empire fell and was replaced by the Galactic Federation, a representative based coalition of sapient races in which humanity sits as a productive member race.
The G.F.R.V.1) Janus2) is a Federation built Exelion-class exploratory research vessel. Totaling 7205 meters from bow to stern3), the Janus is equipped with every manner of research equipment and sensor known to sapient kind. It represents the culmination of Galactic Federation technology and is the pride of the fleet. Her mission: to explore the uncharted Far Rim of the galaxy for new civilizations and technologies.
The Far Rim is a section of the galaxy that has traditionally been unreachable, due to the lack of available jump systems. It was only recently that Jump Drive technology has reached a point where it can be traversed, but even still there are multiple points along the route that require years-long stints of travel at sub-light speeds.
You are a crew-member of the Janus, part of her 3000 member compliment of janitorial staff, cooks, researchers, officers, engineers, technicians, and security personnel. You expect to be out in the Rim for at least a century, maybe two, and were placed into cryostasis until you reached your first charted destination, a singular small planet orbiting two small suns. It's suspected to be able to support life, and has been selected as a forward base of operations.