[08:12] WATNEY: Test.
[08:25] JPL: Received! You gave us quite a scare there. Thanks for the “A-OK” message. Our analysis of satellite imagery shows a complete detachment of Airlock 1. Is that correct? What’s your status? Include your personal health and Hab equipment.
[08:39] WATNEY: If by “detachment” you mean “shot me out like a cannon” then yeah. Minor cut on my forehead. Had some issues with my EVA suit (I’ll explain later). I patched up the Hab and repressurized it (main air tanks were intact). I just got power back online. Primary air and water tanks were unharmed. The rover, solar array, and Pathfinder were out of blast range. I’ll run diagnostics on the Hab’s systems while I wait for your next reply. By the way, who am I talking to?
[08:52] JPL: Venkat Kapoor, in Houston. Pasadena relays my messages. I’m going to handle all direct communication with you from now on. Check the Oxygenator and Water Reclaimer first. They’re the most important.
[09:05] WATNEY: Duh. Oxygenator functioning perfectly. Water Reclaimer is completely offline. Best guess is water froze up inside and burst some tubing. I’m sure I can fix it. Hab’s main computer also functioning without any problems. Any idea what caused the Hab to blow up?
[09:18] JPL: Best guess is fatigue on the canvas near Airlock 1. The pressurization cycle stressed it until it failed. From now on, alternate Airlock 2 and 3 for all EVAs. Also, we’ll be getting you a checklist and procedures for a full canvas exam.
[09:31] WATNEY: Yay, I get to stare at a wall for several hours! By the way, the farm is dead. I’ve recovered as many potatoes as I could and stored them outside. I count 1841. That will last me 184 days. Including the remaining mission rations, I’ll start starving on Sol 584.
[09:44] JPL: Yeah, we figured. Working on it.
“It’s Sol 122,” Bruce said. “We have until Sol 584 to get a probe to Mars. That’s 462 sols, which is 475 days.”
The assembled department heads of JPL furrowed their brows and rubbed their eyes.
“First they needed a presupply way ahead of schedule,” Bruce continued. “Now they need it
He stood from his chair. “The positions of Earth and Mars aren’t ideal. The trip will take 414 days. Mounting the probe to the booster and dealing with inspections will take 13 days. That leaves us with just 48 days to make this probe.”
Sounds of whispered exasperation filled the room. “Jesus,” someone said.
“It’s a whole new ballgame,” Bruce continued. “Our focus is food. Anything else is a luxury. We don’t have time to make a powered-descent lander. It’ll have to be a tumbler. So we can’t put anything delicate inside. Say goodbye to the all the other crap we’d planned to send.”
“Where’s the booster coming from?” asked Norm Toshi, who was in charge of the reentry process.
“The EagleEye 3 Saturn probe,” Bruce said. “It was scheduled to launch next month. NASA put it on hold so we can have the booster.”
“I bet the EagleEye team was pissed about that,” Norm said.
“I’m sure they were,” Bruce said. “But it’s the only booster we have that’s big enough. Which brings me to my next point: We only get one shot at this. If we fuck it up, Mark Watney dies.”
