Much was lost when we came to the Forge. It is a dark age.
Information is life. We rely on spaceborne couriers to transport messages and data across the vast distances between settlements.
In settled domains, a network of data hubs called the Weave, allow near-instantaneous communication and data-sharing between ships and outposts. Because of their importance, Weave hubs are often targets for sabotage, and communication blackouts are not uncommon.