Red Planet (2000) Movie Script
By the year 2000, we'd overpopulated,
polluted and poisoned our planet...
...faster than we could clean it up.
We ignored the problem for as long as
we could but were kidding ourselves.
By 2025, we knew we were
in trouble...
...and began to desperately search
for a new home: Mars.
For the last 20 years, we've sent
unmanned probes with algae...
...bioengineered to grow there and
produce oxygen.
We'll build ourselves an atmosphere
we can breathe.
And for 20 years it seemed to work.
It looked like we'd pulled it off.
Then all of a sudden,
oxygen levels started to drop.
We don't know why.
The international community has thrown
all its resources behind us.
It's the greatest undertaking man
has ever attempted.
Our ship, Mars-1, is too massive to
launch from the surface of the planet.
We've shuttled to the high-orbit
space station...
...for a low-gravity launch to begin
our six-month trip:
The first manned mission to Mars.
The hope and survival
of mankind rests on us.
But I know we'll solve the problem.
Because the best scientific minds are
going there to find the answer.
And I'm leading the mission.
I'm Bowman, pilot
and mission commander.
Chantilas, chief science officer
and the soul of the crew.
Santen, a hothead,
but a fine copilot.
Gallagher, our mechanical systems
engineer. Maintenance.
Frankly, not my first choice.
The two civilian members
of the team are:
Burchenal, one of the world's leading
bioengineers, his own greatest hero.
Pettengil...
...terraforming expert and last-minute
replacement on the science team.
And packed away in her box, AMEE:
Autonomous Mapping Exploration
and Evasion.
A multi-task robot on loan
from the Marines.
In other words,
our Mars surface navigator.
We're the first travelers
to another planet.
It's another giant leap
for mankind...
...and if we don't find out what's
wrong on Mars, it could be our last.
Alpha Mach lndicator.
-Clear.
-Confirmed.
That concludes the primary systems
checklist, commander.
-Thanks, Lucille.
-You're welcome.
Gentlemen...
...take over.
-Can't believe we're doing this.
-Just follow the routine.
Secondary systems. OHS/RCS.
-Clear.
-RCS, confirmed.
-Optical alignment sight.
-Op sight, rate 19.
How many hits you get on your website
yesterday, Pettengil?
-l got 500,000.
-That's great.
How many did you get?
ATU, 13.6 degrees.
All from your mother?
You know, it's strange. It's gone.
Yesterday l could see it. Today l
looked and l couldn't find it.
So what? You think the Earth just
vanished? lt's gone forever?
-lt's weird not being able to see it.
-Yeah, so it's weird.
You'll get over it, or you won't.
Just something l wasn't expecting,
that's all.
Up for a couple of turns
around the campus?
My grandfather taught me
to sail when l was a kid.
Taught me to read the stars.
''Just in case all the GPS satellites
fell out of the sky, '' he said.
He said, ''Any man who puts his life...
...in the hands of a bunch
of batteries is an idiot.''
A real Yankee.
No, he just wouldn't approve something
he couldn't build with his hands.
-He wouldn't have approved of this.
-Going to Mars?
He'd say we were headed for trouble.
Say we didn't try.
We just finished poisoning the Earth...
...and everyone was dead in 100 years.
Then what was the point of any of it?
Art, beauty, all gone.
The Greeks. The Constitution.
We've been dying for freedom, ideas.
None of it meant anything?
And what about religion?
Do we give up on God too?
You didn't just give up being
a scientist one day, did you?
l realized science...
...couldn't answer any of the really
interesting questions.
So l turned to philosophy.
Been searching for God ever since.
You're talking to a classroom of
second graders from lowa. At 14:30.
Wait a minute.
lt's your turn to do the kiddies.
Oh, no. lt is your turn,
and you know it. Besides...
...l outrank you.
l could order you to do it.
Just because they promote faster
in the Navy.
Of course they do. You have to when
you deal with the best people.
14:30, with a smile on your face.
This mean you're pulling rank
for the shower too?
No, not rank.
Gender. Ladies first.
Could you pass me the towel, please?
Sure. Sorry.
Just pretend l'm your sister.
l have two sisters.
They don't look like you.
This only works if we both believe
it doesn't matter.
-So l should pretend you're Burchenal.
-lt could matter more than that.
Why don't we practice? You can get
back in the shower naked...
...and come out, and l'll pretend it
doesn't matter.
Why don't you go fix something?
Yes, sir. Ma'am.
-MEV systems check confirmed.
-l'll be on the deck with Bowman.
-Yep, sure.
-500,000.
832. Tighten up.
Get ready, boys.
l hate him. lt's like high school.
There's the jocks and then us.
You watch my back, l'll watch yours.
Do you want to help me with AMEE?
lt's time for her prelaunch
diagnostics check.
Hang on. Who are you kidding?
You're a jock.
You did the NASCAR circuit, right?
l was just tuning cars.
Wasn't really jock stuff.
-lt's heavy.
-Ears are still ringing.
What powers this thing?
A helium nuclear power cell.
Size of a beer can,
runs her for eight months.
Hey, sweetie.
Sweetie? ls she our navigator
or your girlfriend?
-Been a long flight.
-Certainly has.
lt's looking good.
Let's check your Tl.
Tighten up!
So the military removed her reflexes?
That should make her your kind of girl.
Gut him like a fish.
Kill him.
That's my kind of girl.
That's real damn funny.
-Activity strictly prohibited. Cease.
-She could've hurt me.
They took away her knife,
but inside she's all Green Beret.
Back in navigator mode.
You'll dig Mars.
So have a good time...
...and I hope to see you back
on Earth soon. Good luck.
We miss you.
Bye.
209 web messages remaining.
Hey, Teddy. Remember me?
Sure hope you haven't forgotten
your old friends...
...now that you're a big hotshot
astronaut.
Just letting you know
I'm thinking about you.
I sense an irregular humidity mixture.
How you doing?
Fine.
Soon as someone explains to me...
...why a flight deck indicator says
the temperature is above normal.
About 10 degrees.
Fahrenheit or centigrade?
He's teaching me about biology.
-l've developed an interest in--
-Fermentation?
A billion dollars in this mission, and
you use the lab equipment as a still?
No. l'm....
l'm sterilizing.
And how do you propose
that l explain to Houston...
...that two of my crew went blind
drinking moonshine vodka?
Very carefully?
So, what? Doesn't this establishment
serve women?
Allow me.
Commander Bowman.
l learned how to drink
in the Navy, boys.
Chantilas, there were frogs around
when you were a kid, right?
Lots.
And then we killed them.
Every last one.
Now, since frogs breathe
through their skins...
...they react to the toxins
in the environment more rapidly.
That should've been a warning.
Don't you think?
Your point?
Man's a party animal. lf he's doing
okay, then nothing else matters.
That won't change.
Unless there are larger forces
at work than biology.
We're going to talk about God now?
lf we are, l'll need another pop.
Not God...
...faith.
l had a girl named Faith. Cheated
on me with a girl named Chastity.
You wouldn't be riding
309 million kilometers...
...into outer space and back...
...in a rocket ship that nobody
ever tested properly...
...without having a little faith.
Let's forget all the hypotheticals
for a second, okay?
l say...
...to hell with humanity.
l say, Commander Bowman...
...when we get to Mars,
we just take it.
We just take it over for ourselves.
Call Earth, tell them it sucks
and don't bother coming?
Yeah. Whatever keeps out the riffraff.
You can do the religion thing.
Gallagher, you can keep
the space john working, and...
...Pettengil's passed out...
...and l can handle pretty much
everything else, you know.
King.
What about me?
Well, you'll be my queen.
Propagation of the species.
lt's just a....
lt's just a joke.
Commander Bowman, it was a....
And on that note, gentlemen,
l suggest we retire.
Mars-1, Houston.
You have acquired orbit.
Congratulations on 182 days
of smooth sailing.
And welcome to Mars. Houston out.
Found a good parking space?
Yep. Right between Phobos and Deimos.
l prefer one moon, you know?
That way, you know what to call it.
''The moon.''
More color commentary
from the janitor.
The correct term is
''mechanical systems engineer.''
-But he will accept ''space janitor.''
-To hell with the chitchat.
After six months, l'm ready to get out
of this hamster cage. Bowman?
Lucille, initiate all pre-launch
systems checks.
-Yes, commander.
-Finally.
We'll eat dinner on Mars.
Sounds good to me.
Mars entry vehicle launch
in two hours.
HAB 3-D model online.
lt'll be nice to live on the ground.
Even if we are exchanging one
hamster cage for another.
lf all's gone well, hydroponics have
been online for six months.
We'll have fresh tomatoes tonight.
That's one requirement
for my dream house.
Bet you want
a white picket fence, right?
l wouldn't mind.
-Lucille, can we see our new home?
-Yes, commander.
Locking in on HAB.
LZ 56.
Sure is desolate.
-Gamma burst.
-Latch up. Free flow.
We'll lose chips.
Shut it down!
Now! SEP, some kind
of massive solar flare.
Radiation alert. Level 5 EMP.
Radiation alert. Safe area.
Go, guys! Go!
-You too, lieutenant.
-l'm not going anywhere.
-You need me here.
-l want you back there now!
Lieutenant, now! Go.
Massive gamma ray penetration.
The solar flare has passed,
commander.
Power levels are below operating
minimums.
Shit!
Bowman, we copy. We're all okay.
Damage to the ship?
-We're dead in the water.
-Main power unit offline.
She's holding now but could
fall apart at any moment.
Auxiliary power unit failure.
Power level still dropping.
Primary systems will shut down
in six minutes.
Change of plans, boys.
We're launching now. Suit up.
I'll secure the ship.
I'll try to get more systems online
and then I'll join you.
Chantilas, suit voice activated.
Gallagher, suit voice activated.
Power level still dropping.
Primary systems will shut down
in five minutes.
Suit computer, online. Dr. Burchenal,
your EVA systems are 100%.
MEV LP lock.
Commence MEV systems check.
AGF online. Apogee kick motor online.
Anti-inertial thrusters initialized.
Auto-launch program online.
I'm arming it now.
Clock de-lock 9K open. IMU online.
DCM flat. A VVI engaged.
-Launch release system not responding.
-That's not good.
-No, it isn't.
-Let's try it another way.
LRS not responding.
-Failure to engage.
-Come on.
Launch release system not responding.
Lieutenant Santen, suit seal 100%.
Air supply 100%.
Ignition systems go.
MEV landing system check.
I'm sorry.
Launch release system not responding.
Listen up.
No power to the launch release system.
l'll have to stay back
and arm it manually.
Commander, with all due respect,
we're not leaving without you.
It's not up for debate.
Cut auto-guidance
and try to reboot the arm.
No, we don't have time.
You're in charge.
I hope you like the saddle.
Lock it up, gentlemen.
MEV launch systems ready.
Launch on your command.
-Crew secure?
-Secure.
-Secure.
-Secure.
Secure.
The MEV guidance system is scanning
for the HAB transponder.
MEV launch sequence initiated.
We're green across the board.
Boosters online. Fueling D tanks.
God, l hope she makes it.
Commander, primary system shutdown
in 50 seconds.
Launch.
Auto-guidance out.
Flare must've cooked a chip.
l thought MEV was shielded.
Complain later.
l'm going to manual flight.
Commander, five seconds.
Primary system shutdown.
Artificial gravity failure.
Shit.
We have an electrical fire
in access tube four.
Smoke warning in sphere six.
The solar radiation damaged
the auto fire extinguishers.
-Caution, commander.
-Later, Lucille.
This is a zero-gravity fire,
commander. I tried warning you.
Deploying chutes.
Smoke warning in sphere six.
Brace yourself this time.
Commander, we have additional fires
in spheres three and five.
We're off-target. Terrain's crappy.
-l'm dumping the landing gear.
-AMEE's in there.
No choice.
We now have fire in spheres three,
seven and eight.
l'm deploying bags.
Biosystems indicate increasing air
toxicity.
Here comes your 19th nervous
breakdown
Flames now consume 80%of the ship.
This exceeds our fire-extinguishing
capacity.
All fires are extinguished.
O-2 levels 0%.
Take him easy. Here. Good.
Help him up.
Here, sit down for a minute.
Nice and easy.
There you go.
Init, terra, Mars, alpha.
Compiling mission itinerary.
You don't appear to have
any compound fractures.
Doesn't look like you broke anything.
Reserve power supplies are failing.
Auxiliary power unit, 20%.
Reroute the main power supply
through the B-chip, Lucille.
This violates operating parameters.
l won't take no for an answer.
You got that?!
Do it! Now!
Yes, commander. Alpha processor
discharged. Power sent to beta chip.
Main power unit 15%.
Main power unit restored.
Well done, commander.
-Artificial gravity restored.
-No shit.
Artificial atmosphere systems restored.
O-2 level 2%and increasing.
Where the hell is HAB?
lf you hadn't dumped our navigator,
we'd know.
Can't get a visual on AMEE,
but maybe l can fix this radio.
How long?
Don't know.
These repairs'll take a while.
Science package is K O'd also.
-Shit. There goes the mission.
-Mission's not over yet, Pettengil.
Really? Did you miss something?
We lost the science package.
-We can't do what we came here for.
-Quit whining.
You did park us on the rocks.
And you knew there were risks.
Right now, gentlemen, locating HAB
is what matters.
Exterior atmosphere indicator is
disabled.
-l think we're somewhere downrange.
-Calculating landing ellipse.
Based on our last uncorrupted nav
state...
...l'd say we're somewhere in this 60
by 120 kilometer ellipse.
The mission data's here. We need to
close in on the downrange variables.
lt's about the math.
This is it. That moment they told us
about in high school...
...where one day, algebra would
save our lives.
Shut up.
Sorry.
Warning, AMEE not responding.
Mars-1 comm initiation unsuccessful.
T-ray imaging.
Oh, man.
System memory, bring up a panoramic
shot from the HAB.
Ocular mach 1-X panoramic mode.
Reverse?
Downrange charging.
Hey, guys. Look at this.
What, Gallagher?
l don't think it's about the math. l
think it's about the picture.
What picture?
This one.
We're not in that picture.
lf we were, we'd know where HAB was.
l know, but if this rock is HAB and
it's in the line about 30 degrees...
...it sees these two peaks, but
reverse, as it's on the other side...
...and at 180 degrees,
it sees those two peaks.
Which puts us on a line about here...
...which makes the line to the HAB
about there.
He's right.
Nice work, space janitor.
We only have seven
and a half hours of air left.
Let's get moving.
I realized science...
...couldn't answer any of the really
interesting questions.
So l turned to philosophy.
Been searching for God ever since.
Who knows?
l may pick up a rock and it'll say
underneath, ''Made by God.''
Universe is full of surprises.
That would be a big one.
You ready, sir?
Unfortunately, l'm staying here.
What?
My spleen's ruptured.
There's significant internal bleeding.
l wouldn't get very far.
We have emergency medical gear at HAB.
We can lock out the spine impulse.
You can walk us through the surgery.
Carrying me will slow you all down,
enough to deplete everyone's oxygen.
This is no time for misguided heroics.
l won't let you die here.
What we came here to do
is more important.
The four of you must carry
on with the mission.
lt won't be easy,
but l know you can do it.
Get going.
You heard the man.
l got to see Mars.
Come on, give me a red light.
Give me juice.
Come on, don't do this to me and my
team. Give me a goddamn red light.
Communications online.
See? All you needed
was an attitude check.
Thank you, commander.
Mars ground crew, this is Mars- 1.
Can you hear me? Over.
Mars ground crew, this is Mars- 1.
Do you copy? Over.
Terrascan has nothing to report.
No life form trace apparent.
lt's weird. There's nothing here.
lt's Mars.
No, l mean there's not one sign
of the algae we sent up here.
Even if it all died, there should be
something. Dried algal mat, traces--
He's right. They're not just dead,
they're gone.
Like they were scoured off. This says
there was nothing here. lmpossible.
Maybe there was never anything
in this valley.
lf we are where we think we are...
...this area was covered
with blue algae just a month ago.
The valley before this should've been
blazing with red-orange chloroflectic.
All this talking's burning up oxygen.
Move out.
We know what happened to the oxygen.
Nothing here to make it.
You done?
l said, move out.
Ten minutes until we exit the day side.
Okay, where are the boys?
Grid tracking. De-lock.
-Boys, where are you?
-LZ topography.
Six degrees tracking,
three minutes tracking.
LT lock.
MEV landing zone. LZ 56.
Why aren't you at the LZ?
Five minutes until we exit
the day side and lose visuals.
1-4-4-X.
Azimuth HZ 4.99.
Boys, where are you?
MEV LP lock.
Oh, shit.
Find HAB for me, Lucille.
There it is!
-We made it.
-26 months of food, air and water!
We made it!
Food!
God help us.
lt's all chewed up.
What happened?
-lce storm couldn't have done this.
-No way.
Every HAB stood up to an F-5
in tornado alley.
This isn't weather-related.
Okay. What are we going to do?
Start looking for O-2.
Houston, this is Mars- 1.
We've experienced a massive proton
field upset sequel to a solar flare.
Mars- 1 systems at below 70%, orbital
path degraded by fire-control air purge.
Engine function zero.
MEV launched with a crew of five.
l have visual on crash site.
l can see one person down. l have
absolutely no radio contact with them.
Houston, visuals confirm that HAB-1
is tango-uniform.
l repeat, HAB-1 has been destroyed.
Even if the rest of the team is alive,
they have no way to survive.
l'm uploading telemetry
and video data to you now.
Data unit relay.
l don't see anything.
No food, no air, no water.
-What are we going to do?
-Nothing we can do.
We're out of time.
We're out of time
when we're out of air.
16 minutes. What do you got left?
A little less.
Some final entry for the bio.
''Disappointed 12 billion people,
not counting the ex-wives.''
l hope Bowman made it.
You know, l had a thing for her...
...from the start.
l thought they chose me
because l was single...
...in case l died.
Short time to live.
Long time to wait.
God, it really is beautiful, isn't it?
l was planning on getting engaged
when l got back.
Yeah, well, l'm going to miss
a lot of girls.
A lot of girls are going to miss me.
l was never supposed to be here.
l was just the next lucky guy
on the list.
Well, my flying ability
isn't an issue now.
With HAB destroyed, it makes no
difference where we landed.
You're calculating excuses.
Nothing to excuse.
lt's moot. No impact.
-But Chantilas?
-Moot.
He'd have died here anyway.
Just like us.
You're amazing, Mr. Santen.
Your life is about to end,
and you still can't accept defeat.
l can come across as a hard-ass.
l know that. But technically...
...l didn't fail.
Look, what's done is done.
-l came up here to forgive you.
-Yeah? Well, screw you.
l don't need forgiveness
from a pussy like you.
Get out of here.
Go away and die like a man if you can.
Oh, my God.
Oh, Jesus.
Mars' polar ice is mostly CO-2.
We use low-order nuclear detonations
to melt the ice.
That releases CO-2.
CO-2 buildup creates a greenhouse
effect.
Mars starts to warm up.
Now, when it's hot enough...
...we seed down some algae.
The algae grows and emits oxygen.
You want me to just shut up
and let you die quietly?
No. Kind of peaceful.
Okay. So, they sent us here...
...to figure out what happened
to the oxygen.
Question is...
...what happened to the algae?
You know?
Santen's dead.
He threw himself off a cliff.
l tried to stop him.
Gallagher, replace your O-2 canister
immediately.
l'm under a minute.
What's it going to be like?
Hypoxia?
Dizziness. Skin will tingle.
Vision narrows.
Then shock, convulsions...
...acidosis....
ls it going to hurt?
Yeah.
l'm going to.... l'm going to...
...go over here. Take a walk.
Gallagher, oxygen supply depleted.
Burchenal.
Replace your O-2 canister immediately.
Pettengil, replace your O-2 canister
immediately.
l can breathe.
l can breathe.
lt's like being in high altitude.
l don't know how we can breathe,
but we can breathe.
We can breathe!
l don't know what the hell this is.
But l'll take it.
l can breathe.
This can't be possible.
What the hell is going on here?
lf Santen waited a few more
minutes....
We can breathe, Santen.
We can breathe.
Attention, commander, incoming relay.
Mars-1, this is Houston. We got your
message and are glad to hear you.
Analysis of your telemetry...
...indicates Mars-1 orbital failure
in 31 hours.
The good news is, we'll have you
out of there by then.
We believe we can restore engine
function for a main engine burn...
...and exit from Mars' orbit.
Ground crew is presumed
End of Mission. Houston out.
Terraforming didn't even come close
to creating breathable air up here.
Right?
The oxygen levels were already
dropping when all the sensors died.
So how can there be more O-2
now than ever before...
...and no algae to make it?
Sorry, commander. No response
from ignition systems.
Houston, Mars- 1.
No joy on all scenarios
for engine ignition.
That includes hitting the console.
What next? Over.
God, l wish l didn't have to wait
40 minutes to hear your answer.
Hey, guys. Here's the radio.
We're not going to be calling Bowman
on this.
Wait a second.
l saw something when we were trying
to locate HAB.
That little rover they sent up
here back in '97.
That must have a radio, right?
-Yeah.
-Hang on.
lt's 4 kilometers from here.
Going to get dark real soon.
lt'll be too cold.
We'll go first light.
This thing still has enough rocket
fuel to keep us warm.
Here comes a billion-dollar campfire.
At least it's good for something.
lf the radio at the rover works...
...we can contact Bowman...
...tell her there's breathable air.
But that isn't gonna help us, is it?
Must have been hard watching
Santen go like that.
Yes, it was.
l bet.
lt's your girlfriend. She made it.
AMEE. l thought you were dead.
Hi, sweetie. Good to see you.
You're kind of banged up.
Knew you'd make it.
Hey, are you a little out of whack?
Flip over for me.
Shoot. The processor's damaged.
-Can she still navigate for us?
-Yeah, till she breaks down for good.
We wait till she breaks down,
the drone'll crash.
Let's yank her Mars positioning
system now.
MPS hard drive's modular.
lt's self-powered.
We can run it through an HHC. That
would give us control of the drone...
...but then, that'd be killing her.
Yeah? You want me to do it?
No, l'll do it.
Shit!
No.
No.
Gallagher, what's going on?
She's in military mode.
Crash must've flipped her.
-Why did she turn on us?
-We tried to kill her.
-Made us the enemy.
-Son of a bitch.
-You okay?
-Then override her.
l tried. She won't respond.
lt's a broken rib.
Why did she let us live? She had us.
She's playing war games.
Guerilla tactics.
lt's an old trick.
Wound one of the enemy.
The others have to help out.
Slows them down.
Sooner or later, she'll play search
and destroy.
Then she'll come and kill us.
One by one.
You all right?
AMEE jammed the transmitters
so we won't know where she is.
You all right?
Only hurts when l breathe.
Sun's going to come up soon.
Might as well get going.
Give me a hand?
Sure get some high arc
in this low gravity, huh?
Watching this, AMEE?
Taking the first piss on Mars.
Boosters online.
AMI confirmed.
Ignition system operable.
Awaiting burn instructions.
Houston, green light
for engine ignition.
l repeat:
l'm a go for engine ignition.
Thank you, guys.
Thank you for busting your asses.
l have some time
before l have to punch.
l'll take another look
for the crew at daybreak.
l know they're End of Mission,
but it's something l got to do.
Over.
Relayed.
-You know what you're doing, right?
-l always know what l'm doing.
Charming.
lt's a 50-year-old off-the-shelf
computer modem...
...on a frequency we're not using
on our mission...
...but it beats shouting for help.
l got it.
Seek lock off.
1-4-4-X.
HZ lock.
Houston, Mars- 1.
l'm configuring Mars- 1 for a final
slingshot around the day side.
And l will be returning to Earth.
Relayed.
Let's do it.
Test, test.
Does it work?
l don't know.
The little green light's on.
Houston, Mars- 1.
l've acquired elliptical orbit.
l'm commencing engine ignition
sequence for Earth return.
This is Mars- 1 ground crew.
Do you copy?
This is Mars- 1 ground crew.
Do you copy?
This is Mars- 1 ground crew.
Do you copy? Hello?
We're the guys on Mars.
Come on. Someone talk to us.
Try again.
This is Mars- 1 ground crew.
Do you copy?
This is Mars- 1 ground crew.
Do you copy?
Maybe they'll hear us back in 1997.
lt's been two hours.
Mars-1, Houston.
We've picked something off a radio
telescope pointed in your direction.
You won't believe this.
You'll have to tune to a frequency
we haven't used in 50 years.
Yeah, well...
...it was worth a shot.
Mars ground crew, this is Mars-1 .
Do you copy?
Mars ground crew, this is Mars-1 .
Bowman!
Gallagher?
You're alive.
Yeah.
Holy shit, you made it too.
l know that HAB is wrecked.
What is your status?
We're down here at the little rover
with Burchenal and Pettengil.
Got no food and water,
AMEE's gone mustang...
...and, oh, yeah, we can breathe.
How can that be? The oxygen levels
are.... That is impossible.
I don't know.
But we're doing it.
I saw a body back at MEV.
Who was it?
That was Chantilas.
Santen's gone too.
What happened?
Pettengil says he threw himself
off a cliff.
Anyway, that's the news.
We won't make it much longer.
l hope you got an idea,
because we're fresh out.
Let me work on it.
l'll get back to you.
l hope she has a magic wand.
Houston, we have three men alive
and breathing on Mars.
Let's bring them home.
You just can't get around it, can you?
l still can't figure out this algae
and oxygen business.
You hate not knowing.
-Given time, believe me, l'll know.
-Yeah, maybe.
Maybe life's just more mysterious
than you think it is.
You know, you spent too much time
with Chantilas.
But if you want
to take the God route...
...the easy way, that's up to you.
There's nothing easy
about a spiritual life.
lt's a lot more difficult
than just being intelligent.
l think you're just ignoring the facts.
Facts. l bet you were no fun
at Christmas.
l bet your mom told you there's no
tooth fairy when you were 4.
l'm a geneticist. l write code.
Okay?
A, G, T, P in different combinations.
Hacking the human genome. Okay?
l choose what, l choose where...
...and either your kidneys work or
you grow a sixth finger. l do that!
Now, you spot God...
...you let me know.
Until then, l'll trust my Ph.Ds.
It might sound crazy,
but it's the only choice you got.
We walk 100 kilometers to a 30-year-old
Russian rock probe...
...that failed to launch and try
to jump-start it.
Gee, why couldn't you make it tough?
The probe's called Cosmos. Houston
found the designer, name's Borokovski.
Owns a deli in Brooklyn.
He thinks you can start the launch
sequence right there on site.
Former rocket scientist
who now specializes in...
...making sandwiches. Terrific.
Here's the hard part:
You got just under 19 hours to get
there and get it off the ground.
Then l take back what l said
about it being tough.
l got to ditch the B tank and use more
fuel from A to hold orbit that long.
l can't burn much after that or Mars- 1
won't have enough fuel to get home.
l need a heading.
Which way should l go?
Okay, you want to go
to your 5:00.
-There you go.
-Okay, we're set.
l got some work to do, then l'll be
in blackout on the dark side.
So l'll call you when l get back.
Roger. Thanks.
Sorry it's not more.
Hey, it's something.
Give me a hand.
It's nice just to know
you're still up there.
Well, l don't mind dying.
l just hate being alone...
...so get your asses back here.
Talk to you later.
Thanks. My rib feels
like it's through my lung.
Gallagher, what do you think?
I think it's very distracting seeing
you get out of the shower.
l started to lock the door after that.
No, you didn't.
-Yes, l did.
-No, you didn't.
Good night.
What's that?
Over there.
Looks like the ground's moving.
l didn't see anything.
lt's gone now,
but l definitely saw something.
Hey, Bowman. How you doing?
Need a headings check.
You're right on target.
Listen, l need to talk to you.
Took the comm off. What's the matter?
The only place to ride the Cosmos is
in the rock sample container.
Sounds comfy.
It's very small.
Borokovski and Houston...
...have been trying to figure out how
to cram three people in...
...and it only fits two people.
Two people, barely.
How we doing?
Good. Great.
l'm sorry.
Yeah, right. l'll talk to you later.
Let's patch you up.
lt'll help with the pain.
l can barely breathe.
This air's too damn thin!
You're going to be okay.
Put your arm over.
That's right. Left foot.
Right foot. That's right.
Hop like a bunny. Just go.
Here it comes, here it comes
Here comes your 19th
nervous breakdown
What are you doing?
lt's a song my grandfather sang.
The Rolling Stones.
Come on, sing it. Here it comes
Here it comes
Here comes your 19th
nervous breakdown
Commander.
A massive low-pressure system
is approaching the crew.
Atmospheric pressure 820 millibars.
A big ice storm's coming straight
for you.
lt's the size of Montana,
and it's moving fast.
l'm going into comm blackout.
You need to find shelter immediately.
Now.
Where can we find shelter around here?
Over here! There's an opening!
Maximum sustained winds: 111 miles
per hour.
Temperature: negative 50 degrees
Fahrenheit.
Hurry.
Shit!
Houston, this is Mars- 1.
How far is Cosmos from here?
What?
Cosmos.
How far you think it is?
Five or six hours.
Say five.
That leaves us four hours
to try and launch...
...not counting whatever time
we lose here.
This Borokovski better have
a good memory.
Won't be time for plan B.
Only two of us can go on Cosmos.
What?
There's only room on Cosmos
for two people.
You two will both go.
You carry on with the mission.
Tell people what they need to know,
about what you learned here.
When we get to Cosmos
l'll help you rig it, and then...
...we'll say goodbye.
Probably won't even launch.
lt is Russian, after all.
Ten feet off the ground, it'll explode.
l'll live longer than both of you.
You're a rare man, Gallagher.
But somehow l don't quite believe it.
What are you talking about?
He thinks l'm responsible
for Santen's death.
What do you think, Gallagher?
You trust me?
Do you?
l'll watch your back, you watch mine?
Shit, l know l don't trust you.
But you're going to leave your buddy
here behind...
...and take off with me?
Yes, that's...
...that's what he's going to do.
Mars-1, this is Houston.
We don't know about your clock,
but ours is running out of time.
Your team's been out of contact
over three hours.
They did a great job getting
this far...
...but that's a killer storm
no one can survive.
So here's where we are:
If you haven't heard from your crew
by the time you receive this...
...you're ordered to return home.
Houston out.
Gallagher, come in.
Gallagher, can you hear me, please?
Shit!
-He's gone.
-What?
He took the radio.
Aw, shit. Shit!
lt's AMEE.
She wants us to watch.
She's got him.
He was afraid we'd leave him here.
He made it come true.
We got to get that radio
or we're both dead too.
We lost three hours.
At least Pettengil's heading
in the right direction.
-How do you know?
-l took a heading before the storm.
And lined it up with the stars.
We're okay.
Hold on.
This is algae.
There's algae here.
Why is it here and nowhere else?
No time for that now.
There's Pettengil.
At least he didn't drop
the goddamn radio.
AMEE really tore him up.
Little shit's got a death grip on it.
Give me the radio.
l'll call Bowman.
Why'd he close his visor?
He didn't have any air left.
Bowman, it's Gallagher. You up there?
Bowman, it's Gallagher.
Must still be on the dark side.
Jesus!
Some kind of nematode.
The sparks ignited them.
They're feeding on the algae.
That's where it went.
They're feeding on the algae.
Come on. Son of a bitch.
Got it.
-Thought there wasn't any life here.
-l was wrong.
Where there's water
and air, there's life.
Think it's so smart to take
those things with us?
-You don't get how important this is.
-l'm the janitor, remember?
Earth's losing oxygen.
See how those things burned?
They eat algae, and they make O-2.
l finally get it.
l told you l'd solve this damn thing.
Why are the nematodes here?
Because there's something left to eat.
Hang on.
l haven't seen green fields like this
since l was a kid.
They're eating through my suit.
Stay there.
You'll need my air. For the launch.
Take this back, Gallagher.
Accomplish the mission.
lt's up to you now.
Better put your helmet on.
l'm not going out like Pettengil.
Commander, there is a disturbance
on the surface of Mars.
Oh, God.
Mars ground crew, this is Mars-1 .
Can you hear me? Over.
Mars ground crew, this is Mars-1 .
Do you copy? Over.
Gallagher, what's going on?
What's happened?
Mars ground crew, this is Mars-1 .
Can you hear me? Over.
I can't go back.
There was some kind of oxygen burnoff.
It was like a blowtorch.
Burchenal's gone.
He sacrificed himself.
Gallagher, where are the others?
I've got to rest.
Where are the other guys?
Dead.
All dead.
-I'm the only one left.
-Stop and listen to me.
It's over.
l don't know what happened tonight...
...but you have come too far
to give up now.
You are going to accomplish
the mission.
l can't.
Burchenal sacrificed himself for you.
You want to make that for nothing?
l want you to stand up
and l want you to start walking.
If you can't do it for him,
Gallagher....
l can't.
Do it for me.
You have to keep going.
Okay.
55 minutes until we need to leave
orbit, commander.
-Time?
-52 minutes to go.
Should be there.
You're almost there.
l could have screwed up
the celestial nav.
-Could be off-course.
-Trust me, you're there.
-Could've run right past it.
-Shut up and keep moving.
l found it.
Okay. What do l do now?
Get rid of the sample return tray.
Okay. What next?
There's an infrared maintenance port.
lt should be marked.
Marked. Yeah.
ln Russian.
All right.
Got it.
Now what?
Connect the radio to Cosmos.
l'll download what you need
through the modem.
Still works.
Go.
Okay, you should be able
to run diagnostics now.
All green.
This thing has two settings:
on and off.
Right now, ''on'' sends it all the way
back to Earth.
As you lack air, food and water,
that would be bad.
We want power to reach orbit. l've
recalculated for the weight of one.
Take two liters out of each fuel tank.
There's a central purge.
Russians couldn't add a gas gauge?
l'm going into comm blackout soon,
we're down to 49 minutes...
...so shut up and get to work.
Okay. What now?
Launch diagnostics. Avoid pressing
anything that says ''ignition.''
Battery's dead.
There's not enough power to launch.
Not enough power to launch.
-Anything else you can use?
-I don't know.
Let me look around. See if l see any
alternate high-voltage sources.
No.
lt's just rocks.
l'll die on this planet.
l'll stay up here
and we'll find another way.
You can't stay there without burning
more fuel to hold orbit.
You got to go.
How much time till blackout?
About a minute.
Okay. There's a couple things
I got to tell you.
There's life here on Mars.
The guys couldn't figure how they got
here, but they ate the algae...
...and they ate HAB too.
The important thing...
...is that they make oxygen.
Don't know how...
...but Burchenal said it might
be able to save Earth...
...so get some guys up here quick.
Just tell them to be safe.
They eat everything.
Thirty seconds, commander.
Well, that's about it. l....
l really hate this planet.
l really miss Earth.
l really miss a lot of things.
l'm going to miss you.
Won't you say anything?
l should have kissed you.
Yeah, you should have kissed me.
Comm frequency lost, commander.
Goodbye.
Here it comes
Here it comes
Alternate high-voltage energy source.
Come and get me.
l'm going to steal your batteries,
sweetie.
Bye, sweetie.
l'm going home.
Fuck this planet.
Oxygen supply is low.
Warning. Object in orbital path.
Oh, my God. Gallagher.
Abort!
Re-route orbital maneuvering.
l need pitch. Roll!
Ten-millimeter bursts.
Seal this level.
Level sealed.
Open the dock.
Targeted object .3 kilometers.
We only have five minutes
before Mars-1 leaves orbit, commander.
Hook me up, Lucille!
Line release! Full velocity!
Gallagher!
Retract.
Ninety-millimeter bursts!
Seal! Emergency atmosphere now!
Atmosphere restored.
Linking to suit computer.
Gallagher's vital signs are negative.
Bioscan indicates cardiac arrest.
Come on!
Come on!
Stand him up, commander.
Come on.
Aw, man.
l saw Elvis.
Let's go home, Lucille.
Organism bioscan. DNA mapping.
Hard to believe they're the good guys.
Do you think it was worth it?
Houston thinks so.
On Earth, they're calling you a hero,
Gallagher.
God works in mysterious ways.
A memento?
lt's for Chantilas' granddaughter.
He had faith.
You are not who l thought you were.
Nothing went the way
it was supposed to.
But the team, mankind
at its best and its worst...
...accomplished the mission.
Maybe Chantilas was right.
Maybe it isn't just the science.
I sure don't know.
But whatever forces were at work,
we triumphed.
And me? I've got six months
before we get home.
I guess I'll get to know the janitor.
Gelula/SDl
polluted and poisoned our planet...
...faster than we could clean it up.
We ignored the problem for as long as
we could but were kidding ourselves.
By 2025, we knew we were
in trouble...
...and began to desperately search
for a new home: Mars.
For the last 20 years, we've sent
unmanned probes with algae...
...bioengineered to grow there and
produce oxygen.
We'll build ourselves an atmosphere
we can breathe.
And for 20 years it seemed to work.
It looked like we'd pulled it off.
Then all of a sudden,
oxygen levels started to drop.
We don't know why.
The international community has thrown
all its resources behind us.
It's the greatest undertaking man
has ever attempted.
Our ship, Mars-1, is too massive to
launch from the surface of the planet.
We've shuttled to the high-orbit
space station...
...for a low-gravity launch to begin
our six-month trip:
The first manned mission to Mars.
The hope and survival
of mankind rests on us.
But I know we'll solve the problem.
Because the best scientific minds are
going there to find the answer.
And I'm leading the mission.
I'm Bowman, pilot
and mission commander.
Chantilas, chief science officer
and the soul of the crew.
Santen, a hothead,
but a fine copilot.
Gallagher, our mechanical systems
engineer. Maintenance.
Frankly, not my first choice.
The two civilian members
of the team are:
Burchenal, one of the world's leading
bioengineers, his own greatest hero.
Pettengil...
...terraforming expert and last-minute
replacement on the science team.
And packed away in her box, AMEE:
Autonomous Mapping Exploration
and Evasion.
A multi-task robot on loan
from the Marines.
In other words,
our Mars surface navigator.
We're the first travelers
to another planet.
It's another giant leap
for mankind...
...and if we don't find out what's
wrong on Mars, it could be our last.
Alpha Mach lndicator.
-Clear.
-Confirmed.
That concludes the primary systems
checklist, commander.
-Thanks, Lucille.
-You're welcome.
Gentlemen...
...take over.
-Can't believe we're doing this.
-Just follow the routine.
Secondary systems. OHS/RCS.
-Clear.
-RCS, confirmed.
-Optical alignment sight.
-Op sight, rate 19.
How many hits you get on your website
yesterday, Pettengil?
-l got 500,000.
-That's great.
How many did you get?
ATU, 13.6 degrees.
All from your mother?
You know, it's strange. It's gone.
Yesterday l could see it. Today l
looked and l couldn't find it.
So what? You think the Earth just
vanished? lt's gone forever?
-lt's weird not being able to see it.
-Yeah, so it's weird.
You'll get over it, or you won't.
Just something l wasn't expecting,
that's all.
Up for a couple of turns
around the campus?
My grandfather taught me
to sail when l was a kid.
Taught me to read the stars.
''Just in case all the GPS satellites
fell out of the sky, '' he said.
He said, ''Any man who puts his life...
...in the hands of a bunch
of batteries is an idiot.''
A real Yankee.
No, he just wouldn't approve something
he couldn't build with his hands.
-He wouldn't have approved of this.
-Going to Mars?
He'd say we were headed for trouble.
Say we didn't try.
We just finished poisoning the Earth...
...and everyone was dead in 100 years.
Then what was the point of any of it?
Art, beauty, all gone.
The Greeks. The Constitution.
We've been dying for freedom, ideas.
None of it meant anything?
And what about religion?
Do we give up on God too?
You didn't just give up being
a scientist one day, did you?
l realized science...
...couldn't answer any of the really
interesting questions.
So l turned to philosophy.
Been searching for God ever since.
You're talking to a classroom of
second graders from lowa. At 14:30.
Wait a minute.
lt's your turn to do the kiddies.
Oh, no. lt is your turn,
and you know it. Besides...
...l outrank you.
l could order you to do it.
Just because they promote faster
in the Navy.
Of course they do. You have to when
you deal with the best people.
14:30, with a smile on your face.
This mean you're pulling rank
for the shower too?
No, not rank.
Gender. Ladies first.
Could you pass me the towel, please?
Sure. Sorry.
Just pretend l'm your sister.
l have two sisters.
They don't look like you.
This only works if we both believe
it doesn't matter.
-So l should pretend you're Burchenal.
-lt could matter more than that.
Why don't we practice? You can get
back in the shower naked...
...and come out, and l'll pretend it
doesn't matter.
Why don't you go fix something?
Yes, sir. Ma'am.
-MEV systems check confirmed.
-l'll be on the deck with Bowman.
-Yep, sure.
-500,000.
832. Tighten up.
Get ready, boys.
l hate him. lt's like high school.
There's the jocks and then us.
You watch my back, l'll watch yours.
Do you want to help me with AMEE?
lt's time for her prelaunch
diagnostics check.
Hang on. Who are you kidding?
You're a jock.
You did the NASCAR circuit, right?
l was just tuning cars.
Wasn't really jock stuff.
-lt's heavy.
-Ears are still ringing.
What powers this thing?
A helium nuclear power cell.
Size of a beer can,
runs her for eight months.
Hey, sweetie.
Sweetie? ls she our navigator
or your girlfriend?
-Been a long flight.
-Certainly has.
lt's looking good.
Let's check your Tl.
Tighten up!
So the military removed her reflexes?
That should make her your kind of girl.
Gut him like a fish.
Kill him.
That's my kind of girl.
That's real damn funny.
-Activity strictly prohibited. Cease.
-She could've hurt me.
They took away her knife,
but inside she's all Green Beret.
Back in navigator mode.
You'll dig Mars.
So have a good time...
...and I hope to see you back
on Earth soon. Good luck.
We miss you.
Bye.
209 web messages remaining.
Hey, Teddy. Remember me?
Sure hope you haven't forgotten
your old friends...
...now that you're a big hotshot
astronaut.
Just letting you know
I'm thinking about you.
I sense an irregular humidity mixture.
How you doing?
Fine.
Soon as someone explains to me...
...why a flight deck indicator says
the temperature is above normal.
About 10 degrees.
Fahrenheit or centigrade?
He's teaching me about biology.
-l've developed an interest in--
-Fermentation?
A billion dollars in this mission, and
you use the lab equipment as a still?
No. l'm....
l'm sterilizing.
And how do you propose
that l explain to Houston...
...that two of my crew went blind
drinking moonshine vodka?
Very carefully?
So, what? Doesn't this establishment
serve women?
Allow me.
Commander Bowman.
l learned how to drink
in the Navy, boys.
Chantilas, there were frogs around
when you were a kid, right?
Lots.
And then we killed them.
Every last one.
Now, since frogs breathe
through their skins...
...they react to the toxins
in the environment more rapidly.
That should've been a warning.
Don't you think?
Your point?
Man's a party animal. lf he's doing
okay, then nothing else matters.
That won't change.
Unless there are larger forces
at work than biology.
We're going to talk about God now?
lf we are, l'll need another pop.
Not God...
...faith.
l had a girl named Faith. Cheated
on me with a girl named Chastity.
You wouldn't be riding
309 million kilometers...
...into outer space and back...
...in a rocket ship that nobody
ever tested properly...
...without having a little faith.
Let's forget all the hypotheticals
for a second, okay?
l say...
...to hell with humanity.
l say, Commander Bowman...
...when we get to Mars,
we just take it.
We just take it over for ourselves.
Call Earth, tell them it sucks
and don't bother coming?
Yeah. Whatever keeps out the riffraff.
You can do the religion thing.
Gallagher, you can keep
the space john working, and...
...Pettengil's passed out...
...and l can handle pretty much
everything else, you know.
King.
What about me?
Well, you'll be my queen.
Propagation of the species.
lt's just a....
lt's just a joke.
Commander Bowman, it was a....
And on that note, gentlemen,
l suggest we retire.
Mars-1, Houston.
You have acquired orbit.
Congratulations on 182 days
of smooth sailing.
And welcome to Mars. Houston out.
Found a good parking space?
Yep. Right between Phobos and Deimos.
l prefer one moon, you know?
That way, you know what to call it.
''The moon.''
More color commentary
from the janitor.
The correct term is
''mechanical systems engineer.''
-But he will accept ''space janitor.''
-To hell with the chitchat.
After six months, l'm ready to get out
of this hamster cage. Bowman?
Lucille, initiate all pre-launch
systems checks.
-Yes, commander.
-Finally.
We'll eat dinner on Mars.
Sounds good to me.
Mars entry vehicle launch
in two hours.
HAB 3-D model online.
lt'll be nice to live on the ground.
Even if we are exchanging one
hamster cage for another.
lf all's gone well, hydroponics have
been online for six months.
We'll have fresh tomatoes tonight.
That's one requirement
for my dream house.
Bet you want
a white picket fence, right?
l wouldn't mind.
-Lucille, can we see our new home?
-Yes, commander.
Locking in on HAB.
LZ 56.
Sure is desolate.
-Gamma burst.
-Latch up. Free flow.
We'll lose chips.
Shut it down!
Now! SEP, some kind
of massive solar flare.
Radiation alert. Level 5 EMP.
Radiation alert. Safe area.
Go, guys! Go!
-You too, lieutenant.
-l'm not going anywhere.
-You need me here.
-l want you back there now!
Lieutenant, now! Go.
Massive gamma ray penetration.
The solar flare has passed,
commander.
Power levels are below operating
minimums.
Shit!
Bowman, we copy. We're all okay.
Damage to the ship?
-We're dead in the water.
-Main power unit offline.
She's holding now but could
fall apart at any moment.
Auxiliary power unit failure.
Power level still dropping.
Primary systems will shut down
in six minutes.
Change of plans, boys.
We're launching now. Suit up.
I'll secure the ship.
I'll try to get more systems online
and then I'll join you.
Chantilas, suit voice activated.
Gallagher, suit voice activated.
Power level still dropping.
Primary systems will shut down
in five minutes.
Suit computer, online. Dr. Burchenal,
your EVA systems are 100%.
MEV LP lock.
Commence MEV systems check.
AGF online. Apogee kick motor online.
Anti-inertial thrusters initialized.
Auto-launch program online.
I'm arming it now.
Clock de-lock 9K open. IMU online.
DCM flat. A VVI engaged.
-Launch release system not responding.
-That's not good.
-No, it isn't.
-Let's try it another way.
LRS not responding.
-Failure to engage.
-Come on.
Launch release system not responding.
Lieutenant Santen, suit seal 100%.
Air supply 100%.
Ignition systems go.
MEV landing system check.
I'm sorry.
Launch release system not responding.
Listen up.
No power to the launch release system.
l'll have to stay back
and arm it manually.
Commander, with all due respect,
we're not leaving without you.
It's not up for debate.
Cut auto-guidance
and try to reboot the arm.
No, we don't have time.
You're in charge.
I hope you like the saddle.
Lock it up, gentlemen.
MEV launch systems ready.
Launch on your command.
-Crew secure?
-Secure.
-Secure.
-Secure.
Secure.
The MEV guidance system is scanning
for the HAB transponder.
MEV launch sequence initiated.
We're green across the board.
Boosters online. Fueling D tanks.
God, l hope she makes it.
Commander, primary system shutdown
in 50 seconds.
Launch.
Auto-guidance out.
Flare must've cooked a chip.
l thought MEV was shielded.
Complain later.
l'm going to manual flight.
Commander, five seconds.
Primary system shutdown.
Artificial gravity failure.
Shit.
We have an electrical fire
in access tube four.
Smoke warning in sphere six.
The solar radiation damaged
the auto fire extinguishers.
-Caution, commander.
-Later, Lucille.
This is a zero-gravity fire,
commander. I tried warning you.
Deploying chutes.
Smoke warning in sphere six.
Brace yourself this time.
Commander, we have additional fires
in spheres three and five.
We're off-target. Terrain's crappy.
-l'm dumping the landing gear.
-AMEE's in there.
No choice.
We now have fire in spheres three,
seven and eight.
l'm deploying bags.
Biosystems indicate increasing air
toxicity.
Here comes your 19th nervous
breakdown
Flames now consume 80%of the ship.
This exceeds our fire-extinguishing
capacity.
All fires are extinguished.
O-2 levels 0%.
Take him easy. Here. Good.
Help him up.
Here, sit down for a minute.
Nice and easy.
There you go.
Init, terra, Mars, alpha.
Compiling mission itinerary.
You don't appear to have
any compound fractures.
Doesn't look like you broke anything.
Reserve power supplies are failing.
Auxiliary power unit, 20%.
Reroute the main power supply
through the B-chip, Lucille.
This violates operating parameters.
l won't take no for an answer.
You got that?!
Do it! Now!
Yes, commander. Alpha processor
discharged. Power sent to beta chip.
Main power unit 15%.
Main power unit restored.
Well done, commander.
-Artificial gravity restored.
-No shit.
Artificial atmosphere systems restored.
O-2 level 2%and increasing.
Where the hell is HAB?
lf you hadn't dumped our navigator,
we'd know.
Can't get a visual on AMEE,
but maybe l can fix this radio.
How long?
Don't know.
These repairs'll take a while.
Science package is K O'd also.
-Shit. There goes the mission.
-Mission's not over yet, Pettengil.
Really? Did you miss something?
We lost the science package.
-We can't do what we came here for.
-Quit whining.
You did park us on the rocks.
And you knew there were risks.
Right now, gentlemen, locating HAB
is what matters.
Exterior atmosphere indicator is
disabled.
-l think we're somewhere downrange.
-Calculating landing ellipse.
Based on our last uncorrupted nav
state...
...l'd say we're somewhere in this 60
by 120 kilometer ellipse.
The mission data's here. We need to
close in on the downrange variables.
lt's about the math.
This is it. That moment they told us
about in high school...
...where one day, algebra would
save our lives.
Shut up.
Sorry.
Warning, AMEE not responding.
Mars-1 comm initiation unsuccessful.
T-ray imaging.
Oh, man.
System memory, bring up a panoramic
shot from the HAB.
Ocular mach 1-X panoramic mode.
Reverse?
Downrange charging.
Hey, guys. Look at this.
What, Gallagher?
l don't think it's about the math. l
think it's about the picture.
What picture?
This one.
We're not in that picture.
lf we were, we'd know where HAB was.
l know, but if this rock is HAB and
it's in the line about 30 degrees...
...it sees these two peaks, but
reverse, as it's on the other side...
...and at 180 degrees,
it sees those two peaks.
Which puts us on a line about here...
...which makes the line to the HAB
about there.
He's right.
Nice work, space janitor.
We only have seven
and a half hours of air left.
Let's get moving.
I realized science...
...couldn't answer any of the really
interesting questions.
So l turned to philosophy.
Been searching for God ever since.
Who knows?
l may pick up a rock and it'll say
underneath, ''Made by God.''
Universe is full of surprises.
That would be a big one.
You ready, sir?
Unfortunately, l'm staying here.
What?
My spleen's ruptured.
There's significant internal bleeding.
l wouldn't get very far.
We have emergency medical gear at HAB.
We can lock out the spine impulse.
You can walk us through the surgery.
Carrying me will slow you all down,
enough to deplete everyone's oxygen.
This is no time for misguided heroics.
l won't let you die here.
What we came here to do
is more important.
The four of you must carry
on with the mission.
lt won't be easy,
but l know you can do it.
Get going.
You heard the man.
l got to see Mars.
Come on, give me a red light.
Give me juice.
Come on, don't do this to me and my
team. Give me a goddamn red light.
Communications online.
See? All you needed
was an attitude check.
Thank you, commander.
Mars ground crew, this is Mars- 1.
Can you hear me? Over.
Mars ground crew, this is Mars- 1.
Do you copy? Over.
Terrascan has nothing to report.
No life form trace apparent.
lt's weird. There's nothing here.
lt's Mars.
No, l mean there's not one sign
of the algae we sent up here.
Even if it all died, there should be
something. Dried algal mat, traces--
He's right. They're not just dead,
they're gone.
Like they were scoured off. This says
there was nothing here. lmpossible.
Maybe there was never anything
in this valley.
lf we are where we think we are...
...this area was covered
with blue algae just a month ago.
The valley before this should've been
blazing with red-orange chloroflectic.
All this talking's burning up oxygen.
Move out.
We know what happened to the oxygen.
Nothing here to make it.
You done?
l said, move out.
Ten minutes until we exit the day side.
Okay, where are the boys?
Grid tracking. De-lock.
-Boys, where are you?
-LZ topography.
Six degrees tracking,
three minutes tracking.
LT lock.
MEV landing zone. LZ 56.
Why aren't you at the LZ?
Five minutes until we exit
the day side and lose visuals.
1-4-4-X.
Azimuth HZ 4.99.
Boys, where are you?
MEV LP lock.
Oh, shit.
Find HAB for me, Lucille.
There it is!
-We made it.
-26 months of food, air and water!
We made it!
Food!
God help us.
lt's all chewed up.
What happened?
-lce storm couldn't have done this.
-No way.
Every HAB stood up to an F-5
in tornado alley.
This isn't weather-related.
Okay. What are we going to do?
Start looking for O-2.
Houston, this is Mars- 1.
We've experienced a massive proton
field upset sequel to a solar flare.
Mars- 1 systems at below 70%, orbital
path degraded by fire-control air purge.
Engine function zero.
MEV launched with a crew of five.
l have visual on crash site.
l can see one person down. l have
absolutely no radio contact with them.
Houston, visuals confirm that HAB-1
is tango-uniform.
l repeat, HAB-1 has been destroyed.
Even if the rest of the team is alive,
they have no way to survive.
l'm uploading telemetry
and video data to you now.
Data unit relay.
l don't see anything.
No food, no air, no water.
-What are we going to do?
-Nothing we can do.
We're out of time.
We're out of time
when we're out of air.
16 minutes. What do you got left?
A little less.
Some final entry for the bio.
''Disappointed 12 billion people,
not counting the ex-wives.''
l hope Bowman made it.
You know, l had a thing for her...
...from the start.
l thought they chose me
because l was single...
...in case l died.
Short time to live.
Long time to wait.
God, it really is beautiful, isn't it?
l was planning on getting engaged
when l got back.
Yeah, well, l'm going to miss
a lot of girls.
A lot of girls are going to miss me.
l was never supposed to be here.
l was just the next lucky guy
on the list.
Well, my flying ability
isn't an issue now.
With HAB destroyed, it makes no
difference where we landed.
You're calculating excuses.
Nothing to excuse.
lt's moot. No impact.
-But Chantilas?
-Moot.
He'd have died here anyway.
Just like us.
You're amazing, Mr. Santen.
Your life is about to end,
and you still can't accept defeat.
l can come across as a hard-ass.
l know that. But technically...
...l didn't fail.
Look, what's done is done.
-l came up here to forgive you.
-Yeah? Well, screw you.
l don't need forgiveness
from a pussy like you.
Get out of here.
Go away and die like a man if you can.
Oh, my God.
Oh, Jesus.
Mars' polar ice is mostly CO-2.
We use low-order nuclear detonations
to melt the ice.
That releases CO-2.
CO-2 buildup creates a greenhouse
effect.
Mars starts to warm up.
Now, when it's hot enough...
...we seed down some algae.
The algae grows and emits oxygen.
You want me to just shut up
and let you die quietly?
No. Kind of peaceful.
Okay. So, they sent us here...
...to figure out what happened
to the oxygen.
Question is...
...what happened to the algae?
You know?
Santen's dead.
He threw himself off a cliff.
l tried to stop him.
Gallagher, replace your O-2 canister
immediately.
l'm under a minute.
What's it going to be like?
Hypoxia?
Dizziness. Skin will tingle.
Vision narrows.
Then shock, convulsions...
...acidosis....
ls it going to hurt?
Yeah.
l'm going to.... l'm going to...
...go over here. Take a walk.
Gallagher, oxygen supply depleted.
Burchenal.
Replace your O-2 canister immediately.
Pettengil, replace your O-2 canister
immediately.
l can breathe.
l can breathe.
lt's like being in high altitude.
l don't know how we can breathe,
but we can breathe.
We can breathe!
l don't know what the hell this is.
But l'll take it.
l can breathe.
This can't be possible.
What the hell is going on here?
lf Santen waited a few more
minutes....
We can breathe, Santen.
We can breathe.
Attention, commander, incoming relay.
Mars-1, this is Houston. We got your
message and are glad to hear you.
Analysis of your telemetry...
...indicates Mars-1 orbital failure
in 31 hours.
The good news is, we'll have you
out of there by then.
We believe we can restore engine
function for a main engine burn...
...and exit from Mars' orbit.
Ground crew is presumed
End of Mission. Houston out.
Terraforming didn't even come close
to creating breathable air up here.
Right?
The oxygen levels were already
dropping when all the sensors died.
So how can there be more O-2
now than ever before...
...and no algae to make it?
Sorry, commander. No response
from ignition systems.
Houston, Mars- 1.
No joy on all scenarios
for engine ignition.
That includes hitting the console.
What next? Over.
God, l wish l didn't have to wait
40 minutes to hear your answer.
Hey, guys. Here's the radio.
We're not going to be calling Bowman
on this.
Wait a second.
l saw something when we were trying
to locate HAB.
That little rover they sent up
here back in '97.
That must have a radio, right?
-Yeah.
-Hang on.
lt's 4 kilometers from here.
Going to get dark real soon.
lt'll be too cold.
We'll go first light.
This thing still has enough rocket
fuel to keep us warm.
Here comes a billion-dollar campfire.
At least it's good for something.
lf the radio at the rover works...
...we can contact Bowman...
...tell her there's breathable air.
But that isn't gonna help us, is it?
Must have been hard watching
Santen go like that.
Yes, it was.
l bet.
lt's your girlfriend. She made it.
AMEE. l thought you were dead.
Hi, sweetie. Good to see you.
You're kind of banged up.
Knew you'd make it.
Hey, are you a little out of whack?
Flip over for me.
Shoot. The processor's damaged.
-Can she still navigate for us?
-Yeah, till she breaks down for good.
We wait till she breaks down,
the drone'll crash.
Let's yank her Mars positioning
system now.
MPS hard drive's modular.
lt's self-powered.
We can run it through an HHC. That
would give us control of the drone...
...but then, that'd be killing her.
Yeah? You want me to do it?
No, l'll do it.
Shit!
No.
No.
Gallagher, what's going on?
She's in military mode.
Crash must've flipped her.
-Why did she turn on us?
-We tried to kill her.
-Made us the enemy.
-Son of a bitch.
-You okay?
-Then override her.
l tried. She won't respond.
lt's a broken rib.
Why did she let us live? She had us.
She's playing war games.
Guerilla tactics.
lt's an old trick.
Wound one of the enemy.
The others have to help out.
Slows them down.
Sooner or later, she'll play search
and destroy.
Then she'll come and kill us.
One by one.
You all right?
AMEE jammed the transmitters
so we won't know where she is.
You all right?
Only hurts when l breathe.
Sun's going to come up soon.
Might as well get going.
Give me a hand?
Sure get some high arc
in this low gravity, huh?
Watching this, AMEE?
Taking the first piss on Mars.
Boosters online.
AMI confirmed.
Ignition system operable.
Awaiting burn instructions.
Houston, green light
for engine ignition.
l repeat:
l'm a go for engine ignition.
Thank you, guys.
Thank you for busting your asses.
l have some time
before l have to punch.
l'll take another look
for the crew at daybreak.
l know they're End of Mission,
but it's something l got to do.
Over.
Relayed.
-You know what you're doing, right?
-l always know what l'm doing.
Charming.
lt's a 50-year-old off-the-shelf
computer modem...
...on a frequency we're not using
on our mission...
...but it beats shouting for help.
l got it.
Seek lock off.
1-4-4-X.
HZ lock.
Houston, Mars- 1.
l'm configuring Mars- 1 for a final
slingshot around the day side.
And l will be returning to Earth.
Relayed.
Let's do it.
Test, test.
Does it work?
l don't know.
The little green light's on.
Houston, Mars- 1.
l've acquired elliptical orbit.
l'm commencing engine ignition
sequence for Earth return.
This is Mars- 1 ground crew.
Do you copy?
This is Mars- 1 ground crew.
Do you copy?
This is Mars- 1 ground crew.
Do you copy? Hello?
We're the guys on Mars.
Come on. Someone talk to us.
Try again.
This is Mars- 1 ground crew.
Do you copy?
This is Mars- 1 ground crew.
Do you copy?
Maybe they'll hear us back in 1997.
lt's been two hours.
Mars-1, Houston.
We've picked something off a radio
telescope pointed in your direction.
You won't believe this.
You'll have to tune to a frequency
we haven't used in 50 years.
Yeah, well...
...it was worth a shot.
Mars ground crew, this is Mars-1 .
Do you copy?
Mars ground crew, this is Mars-1 .
Bowman!
Gallagher?
You're alive.
Yeah.
Holy shit, you made it too.
l know that HAB is wrecked.
What is your status?
We're down here at the little rover
with Burchenal and Pettengil.
Got no food and water,
AMEE's gone mustang...
...and, oh, yeah, we can breathe.
How can that be? The oxygen levels
are.... That is impossible.
I don't know.
But we're doing it.
I saw a body back at MEV.
Who was it?
That was Chantilas.
Santen's gone too.
What happened?
Pettengil says he threw himself
off a cliff.
Anyway, that's the news.
We won't make it much longer.
l hope you got an idea,
because we're fresh out.
Let me work on it.
l'll get back to you.
l hope she has a magic wand.
Houston, we have three men alive
and breathing on Mars.
Let's bring them home.
You just can't get around it, can you?
l still can't figure out this algae
and oxygen business.
You hate not knowing.
-Given time, believe me, l'll know.
-Yeah, maybe.
Maybe life's just more mysterious
than you think it is.
You know, you spent too much time
with Chantilas.
But if you want
to take the God route...
...the easy way, that's up to you.
There's nothing easy
about a spiritual life.
lt's a lot more difficult
than just being intelligent.
l think you're just ignoring the facts.
Facts. l bet you were no fun
at Christmas.
l bet your mom told you there's no
tooth fairy when you were 4.
l'm a geneticist. l write code.
Okay?
A, G, T, P in different combinations.
Hacking the human genome. Okay?
l choose what, l choose where...
...and either your kidneys work or
you grow a sixth finger. l do that!
Now, you spot God...
...you let me know.
Until then, l'll trust my Ph.Ds.
It might sound crazy,
but it's the only choice you got.
We walk 100 kilometers to a 30-year-old
Russian rock probe...
...that failed to launch and try
to jump-start it.
Gee, why couldn't you make it tough?
The probe's called Cosmos. Houston
found the designer, name's Borokovski.
Owns a deli in Brooklyn.
He thinks you can start the launch
sequence right there on site.
Former rocket scientist
who now specializes in...
...making sandwiches. Terrific.
Here's the hard part:
You got just under 19 hours to get
there and get it off the ground.
Then l take back what l said
about it being tough.
l got to ditch the B tank and use more
fuel from A to hold orbit that long.
l can't burn much after that or Mars- 1
won't have enough fuel to get home.
l need a heading.
Which way should l go?
Okay, you want to go
to your 5:00.
-There you go.
-Okay, we're set.
l got some work to do, then l'll be
in blackout on the dark side.
So l'll call you when l get back.
Roger. Thanks.
Sorry it's not more.
Hey, it's something.
Give me a hand.
It's nice just to know
you're still up there.
Well, l don't mind dying.
l just hate being alone...
...so get your asses back here.
Talk to you later.
Thanks. My rib feels
like it's through my lung.
Gallagher, what do you think?
I think it's very distracting seeing
you get out of the shower.
l started to lock the door after that.
No, you didn't.
-Yes, l did.
-No, you didn't.
Good night.
What's that?
Over there.
Looks like the ground's moving.
l didn't see anything.
lt's gone now,
but l definitely saw something.
Hey, Bowman. How you doing?
Need a headings check.
You're right on target.
Listen, l need to talk to you.
Took the comm off. What's the matter?
The only place to ride the Cosmos is
in the rock sample container.
Sounds comfy.
It's very small.
Borokovski and Houston...
...have been trying to figure out how
to cram three people in...
...and it only fits two people.
Two people, barely.
How we doing?
Good. Great.
l'm sorry.
Yeah, right. l'll talk to you later.
Let's patch you up.
lt'll help with the pain.
l can barely breathe.
This air's too damn thin!
You're going to be okay.
Put your arm over.
That's right. Left foot.
Right foot. That's right.
Hop like a bunny. Just go.
Here it comes, here it comes
Here comes your 19th
nervous breakdown
What are you doing?
lt's a song my grandfather sang.
The Rolling Stones.
Come on, sing it. Here it comes
Here it comes
Here comes your 19th
nervous breakdown
Commander.
A massive low-pressure system
is approaching the crew.
Atmospheric pressure 820 millibars.
A big ice storm's coming straight
for you.
lt's the size of Montana,
and it's moving fast.
l'm going into comm blackout.
You need to find shelter immediately.
Now.
Where can we find shelter around here?
Over here! There's an opening!
Maximum sustained winds: 111 miles
per hour.
Temperature: negative 50 degrees
Fahrenheit.
Hurry.
Shit!
Houston, this is Mars- 1.
How far is Cosmos from here?
What?
Cosmos.
How far you think it is?
Five or six hours.
Say five.
That leaves us four hours
to try and launch...
...not counting whatever time
we lose here.
This Borokovski better have
a good memory.
Won't be time for plan B.
Only two of us can go on Cosmos.
What?
There's only room on Cosmos
for two people.
You two will both go.
You carry on with the mission.
Tell people what they need to know,
about what you learned here.
When we get to Cosmos
l'll help you rig it, and then...
...we'll say goodbye.
Probably won't even launch.
lt is Russian, after all.
Ten feet off the ground, it'll explode.
l'll live longer than both of you.
You're a rare man, Gallagher.
But somehow l don't quite believe it.
What are you talking about?
He thinks l'm responsible
for Santen's death.
What do you think, Gallagher?
You trust me?
Do you?
l'll watch your back, you watch mine?
Shit, l know l don't trust you.
But you're going to leave your buddy
here behind...
...and take off with me?
Yes, that's...
...that's what he's going to do.
Mars-1, this is Houston.
We don't know about your clock,
but ours is running out of time.
Your team's been out of contact
over three hours.
They did a great job getting
this far...
...but that's a killer storm
no one can survive.
So here's where we are:
If you haven't heard from your crew
by the time you receive this...
...you're ordered to return home.
Houston out.
Gallagher, come in.
Gallagher, can you hear me, please?
Shit!
-He's gone.
-What?
He took the radio.
Aw, shit. Shit!
lt's AMEE.
She wants us to watch.
She's got him.
He was afraid we'd leave him here.
He made it come true.
We got to get that radio
or we're both dead too.
We lost three hours.
At least Pettengil's heading
in the right direction.
-How do you know?
-l took a heading before the storm.
And lined it up with the stars.
We're okay.
Hold on.
This is algae.
There's algae here.
Why is it here and nowhere else?
No time for that now.
There's Pettengil.
At least he didn't drop
the goddamn radio.
AMEE really tore him up.
Little shit's got a death grip on it.
Give me the radio.
l'll call Bowman.
Why'd he close his visor?
He didn't have any air left.
Bowman, it's Gallagher. You up there?
Bowman, it's Gallagher.
Must still be on the dark side.
Jesus!
Some kind of nematode.
The sparks ignited them.
They're feeding on the algae.
That's where it went.
They're feeding on the algae.
Come on. Son of a bitch.
Got it.
-Thought there wasn't any life here.
-l was wrong.
Where there's water
and air, there's life.
Think it's so smart to take
those things with us?
-You don't get how important this is.
-l'm the janitor, remember?
Earth's losing oxygen.
See how those things burned?
They eat algae, and they make O-2.
l finally get it.
l told you l'd solve this damn thing.
Why are the nematodes here?
Because there's something left to eat.
Hang on.
l haven't seen green fields like this
since l was a kid.
They're eating through my suit.
Stay there.
You'll need my air. For the launch.
Take this back, Gallagher.
Accomplish the mission.
lt's up to you now.
Better put your helmet on.
l'm not going out like Pettengil.
Commander, there is a disturbance
on the surface of Mars.
Oh, God.
Mars ground crew, this is Mars-1 .
Can you hear me? Over.
Mars ground crew, this is Mars-1 .
Do you copy? Over.
Gallagher, what's going on?
What's happened?
Mars ground crew, this is Mars-1 .
Can you hear me? Over.
I can't go back.
There was some kind of oxygen burnoff.
It was like a blowtorch.
Burchenal's gone.
He sacrificed himself.
Gallagher, where are the others?
I've got to rest.
Where are the other guys?
Dead.
All dead.
-I'm the only one left.
-Stop and listen to me.
It's over.
l don't know what happened tonight...
...but you have come too far
to give up now.
You are going to accomplish
the mission.
l can't.
Burchenal sacrificed himself for you.
You want to make that for nothing?
l want you to stand up
and l want you to start walking.
If you can't do it for him,
Gallagher....
l can't.
Do it for me.
You have to keep going.
Okay.
55 minutes until we need to leave
orbit, commander.
-Time?
-52 minutes to go.
Should be there.
You're almost there.
l could have screwed up
the celestial nav.
-Could be off-course.
-Trust me, you're there.
-Could've run right past it.
-Shut up and keep moving.
l found it.
Okay. What do l do now?
Get rid of the sample return tray.
Okay. What next?
There's an infrared maintenance port.
lt should be marked.
Marked. Yeah.
ln Russian.
All right.
Got it.
Now what?
Connect the radio to Cosmos.
l'll download what you need
through the modem.
Still works.
Go.
Okay, you should be able
to run diagnostics now.
All green.
This thing has two settings:
on and off.
Right now, ''on'' sends it all the way
back to Earth.
As you lack air, food and water,
that would be bad.
We want power to reach orbit. l've
recalculated for the weight of one.
Take two liters out of each fuel tank.
There's a central purge.
Russians couldn't add a gas gauge?
l'm going into comm blackout soon,
we're down to 49 minutes...
...so shut up and get to work.
Okay. What now?
Launch diagnostics. Avoid pressing
anything that says ''ignition.''
Battery's dead.
There's not enough power to launch.
Not enough power to launch.
-Anything else you can use?
-I don't know.
Let me look around. See if l see any
alternate high-voltage sources.
No.
lt's just rocks.
l'll die on this planet.
l'll stay up here
and we'll find another way.
You can't stay there without burning
more fuel to hold orbit.
You got to go.
How much time till blackout?
About a minute.
Okay. There's a couple things
I got to tell you.
There's life here on Mars.
The guys couldn't figure how they got
here, but they ate the algae...
...and they ate HAB too.
The important thing...
...is that they make oxygen.
Don't know how...
...but Burchenal said it might
be able to save Earth...
...so get some guys up here quick.
Just tell them to be safe.
They eat everything.
Thirty seconds, commander.
Well, that's about it. l....
l really hate this planet.
l really miss Earth.
l really miss a lot of things.
l'm going to miss you.
Won't you say anything?
l should have kissed you.
Yeah, you should have kissed me.
Comm frequency lost, commander.
Goodbye.
Here it comes
Here it comes
Alternate high-voltage energy source.
Come and get me.
l'm going to steal your batteries,
sweetie.
Bye, sweetie.
l'm going home.
Fuck this planet.
Oxygen supply is low.
Warning. Object in orbital path.
Oh, my God. Gallagher.
Abort!
Re-route orbital maneuvering.
l need pitch. Roll!
Ten-millimeter bursts.
Seal this level.
Level sealed.
Open the dock.
Targeted object .3 kilometers.
We only have five minutes
before Mars-1 leaves orbit, commander.
Hook me up, Lucille!
Line release! Full velocity!
Gallagher!
Retract.
Ninety-millimeter bursts!
Seal! Emergency atmosphere now!
Atmosphere restored.
Linking to suit computer.
Gallagher's vital signs are negative.
Bioscan indicates cardiac arrest.
Come on!
Come on!
Stand him up, commander.
Come on.
Aw, man.
l saw Elvis.
Let's go home, Lucille.
Organism bioscan. DNA mapping.
Hard to believe they're the good guys.
Do you think it was worth it?
Houston thinks so.
On Earth, they're calling you a hero,
Gallagher.
God works in mysterious ways.
A memento?
lt's for Chantilas' granddaughter.
He had faith.
You are not who l thought you were.
Nothing went the way
it was supposed to.
But the team, mankind
at its best and its worst...
...accomplished the mission.
Maybe Chantilas was right.
Maybe it isn't just the science.
I sure don't know.
But whatever forces were at work,
we triumphed.
And me? I've got six months
before we get home.
I guess I'll get to know the janitor.
Gelula/SDl