Established under the Home Sector Defense and Space Exploration Act; also known as the “Defense & Exploration Act” or “D & E”, in Year 1 of the Unity Age, the mission of the Ministry of Exploration & Protection (MEP) is twofold. The first responsibility of the ministry is to protect the citizens, resources, and interests of the United Republic from potential external and internal threats. The second responsibility is to expand the knowledge of the URZA through the exploration of interstellar space. Under the provisions of the “D & E”, the ministry is led by the President of the United Republic in his/her capacity as Commander–in–Chief of the defense & exploration assets of the URZA and a civilian Minister of Exploration & Protection; appointed by the President and approved by the United Republic Senate.

   The minister supervises the two principal divisions of the ministry; the Home Sector Force and Starfleet, along with the other various bureaus, offices, and agencies of the ministry. Coordination of the numerous assets and activities within the Ministry is achieved through the utilization of the ministry's duotronic–based computer network known as MEPNet. The use of MEPNet allows all of the parts of the Ministry to achieve their goals and gain resources & the personnel to assist the Ministry in fulfilling its unending mission.

   As part of that unending mission, the Ministry's Home Sector Force division and its four primary commands—Ground, Naval, Atmo, and Stellar—are utilized to protect the planets of the star system and the system as a whole from internal strife or external threat in close proximity to the system.

   Also as part of the Ministry's mission and in occasional collaboration and cooperation with other government ministries; the MEP employs its’ Starfleet division, with its fleet of spacecraft, to expand the United Republic's knowledge of the universe and defend the citizens and assets of the URZA far outside the home star system.