On 16 June 2008 the SDS announced a new project would be formed under the direction of Fred Burton. An old-timer in the Starfire world, and an associate of David Weber during both 2nd and 3rd editions, Fred is also the creator of the Star Union introduced in ISW-4.

Fred has taken on this re-imagining of Third Edition STARFIRE with the intention of making the rules better and more inclusive. He will be continuing the official Third Edition history with a look at the past in the First Crucian-Arachnid War (1^ST CAW), as well as the future of the Star Union and the exploration of "The Expanse".

Fred's goals for COSMIC STARFIRE are to bring forward Third Edition with new technologies, streamlined rules, and a return to the official history. This is not a re-combination of the old rules but a reworking that will remove the non-Weber supplements (First Contact and Alkeda Dawn were never part of Weber's original stories) and focus on what makes Third Edition unique and interesting in the eyes of its supporters and fans.

Information on COSMIC STARFIRE will be updated as the project moves forward. Currently Fred is in the middle of reviewing each rule section, examining potential areas for improvement, and working on the 1^ST CAW.