Pang Xuelin changed into a new EVA spacesuit, and the two returned to the living capsule to check it out.

There are a few dome brackets used to maintain internal pressure in the living compartment, but the problem is not big, and it will be fine when it is installed back.

Medicine, food, and various supplies were scattered all over the place due to the sudden air explosion, but there was basically no impact.

The energy capsule and the planting pod were closed, so the potatoes were temporarily saved, and the nickel-metal hydride batteries in the energy pod, as well as the main electromechanical equipment, were intact.

The main gas tank and water storage tank are in the energy compartment and are equally intact.

The water circulation system burst due to freezing, but it can be repaired.

The oxygenator cannot be started, and the results can only be known after the pressure and temperature of the living chamber are restored, and the perch management system is run for diagnosis.

The communication system was not affected by the airburst because the Mars Pathfinder landing module was placed on the side of the rover.

The main control system in the living compartment entered a dormant state due to a sudden loss of pressure, and the backup control system of the energy compartment was connected.

Watney couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief and said: "Pang, thanks to your foresight, the planting and energy cabins are isolated from the living cabins, the potatoes are still there, and our losses are not too big." ”

Pang Xuelin nodded, even if he was himself, he had palpitations.

To some extent, his luck is not bad, if there was an air explosion when Watney came out of the cabin, then he would have become an ice corpse long ago.

"Project Ares Command must have found out that something happened to us, let's report to them first!"

Pang Xuelin and Watney returned to the capsule and laid out the Morse code of [Peace] with the Saturn stone.

Next, it took a full day for Pang Xuelin and Watney to first seal the blasted airlock with the main parachute film left over from the MDV, and then enter the energy chamber from the No. 2 airlock.

There is a backup control system in the energy cabin, which can control the air conditioning, water circulation, atmospheric circulation, communication and other systems of the perching cabin.

"Repressurize the living pod!"

The oxygenator and water circulation system are temporarily unusable, but a spare nitrox tank can be used to pressurize the living chamber and restore the temperature.

Soon, under Watney's control, a slight beep of the compressor sounded.

Twenty minutes later, the air pressure in the living compartment was restored and the temperature returned.

Pang Xuelin and Watney wore EVA spacesuits to enter the living module, first tested the tightness of the living module, and only after confirming that there were no problems, did they restart the control system of the living module.

The air conditioning unit was put into operation, and the communication system was restored.

Almost as soon as the communication system was restored, a flood of information poured into the computer screen.

[9:30] JPL: Pong, Watney, the satellite observed that Airlock Room 1 was disengaged, please reply to the message.

[9:32] JPL: Pong, Watney, satellite observed that Airlock Room 1 was disengaged, please reply to the message.

……

[10:28] JPL: Pong, Watney, please reply to the message.

……

[17:39] JPL: The satellite has observed your Morse code, I hope you are all well, please contact us as soon as communication is restored.

……

[20:23] Perch: Command, I'm Pong, Watney is right next to me, I'm in good shape, I've got a minor injury, the wound has been treated, it's not a big problem.

[20:35] JPL: Xuelin, I'm Tian Mu, I'm currently in contact with you through Pasadena at the Chinese command of Project Ares, satellite data shows that the No. 1 airlock is completely separated from the perching module, whether to confirm it.

[20:50] Perch: I was in the airlock chamber when there was an airburst in airlock chamber No. 1, I was slightly injured in the explosion, and upon inspection, the carbon fiber sealing material between the airlock chamber and the perched chamber was torn. At present, the power system and communication system have been restored, the hatches of the energy cabin and the planting cabin were closed at the time of the explosion, and they were not affected, and the main gas tank and the main water storage tank were normal. The rover, solar panels, and the Pathfinder landing module are in good condition. Part of the water pipe of the water circulation system is broken, and the preliminary estimate can be repaired, but the oxygenator cannot be started, the state is unknown, and further testing is needed. Lao Tian, do you have any thoughts on the cause of the gas explosion? What are Command's recommendations for our next course of action?

[21:06] JPL: The Ares 3 mission was originally planned to be on Mars for a month, so the actual design life of the habitat is about half a year. According to the preliminary analysis of the expert team, the carbon fiber canvas material around the perching chamber and the airlock chamber is aging, and the repeated pressurization of the airlock chamber causes it to rise excessively until the pressure is broken, and then the air explosion occurs. From now on, it is recommended that you alternate between Airlock 2 and 3 for EVA tasks, and we will provide a detailed list and workflow instructions as soon as possible to systematically inspect and maintain the entire canvas material. In addition, check the status of the oxygenator and the water circulation system as soon as possible, these two systems are the most important, please reply in time if you have the latest news.

[21:18] Perched Module: Understood.

……

183rd Martian Day.

It took a day for Pang Xuelin and Watney to systematically inspect and maintain the canvas materials of the perching cabin according to the workflow given by the expert team on Earth, and fortunately, because the second and third airlocks are rarely used, the carbon fiber canvas materials are still in good condition as a whole.

The water circulation system is just a ruptured water pipe, and their spare water pipe is enough to be repaired.

The real bad news is that the oxygenation machine is finished.

Pang Xuelin and Watney are not worried about whether there is enough oxygen, because there are more than 1,000 liters of liquid oxygen in the main gas tank and the backup liquid oxygen tank, enough for them to use more than 500 Martian days.

The real question is what to do with this carbon dioxide.

The most important function of an oxygenator is to adsorb carbon dioxide under pressure using a molecular sieve, and then convert it into oxygen through a series of physicochemical reactions.

This gas explosion caused the molecular sieve of the oxygenator to be completely exposed to the cold air of more than minus 60 degrees, which directly caused irreversible changes in the chemical properties of the molecular sieve.

And in this mission, except for carrying a carbon dioxide adsorption device that can be used by Pang Xuelin and Watney for 20 days, they did not carry an oxygenator molecular sieve at all.

Big trouble!

In the living cabin, Pang Xuelin and Watney were speechless.

Pang Xuelin originally thought that by closing the planting cabin and energy cabin, he would be able to avoid the thunder point of the airlock explosion.

Unexpectedly, another thunder was detonated.

If I could have thought about it at the beginning, I might not have thought about the impact of multiple entries and exits of the airlock on the repeated lifting of the carbon fiber canvas material of the perch.

It's too late to regret it now, so you can only take one step at a time.

"Pang, what's next?"

Watney said with some apprehension.

Pang Xuelin frowned and said, "Let's temporarily use the carbon dioxide adsorber in the perching compartment, which can be used for twenty days in an emergency." In addition, we have a small 2,300-hour CO2 filter, which is a big deal to sleep in the rover when the time comes, and the two of us can use it for another 45 days. In the end, if we really can't help it, we will use the last resort to change the air in the living compartment once a day. Our current liquid oxygen storage tank can allow us to use it for more than 500 days, and if we change the air in the living compartment every day, the liquid oxygen consumption will increase rapidly, but no matter what, we can also last for 100 days. In that case, we have at least 160 Martian days of life. And ......"

"What else?"

Watney Road.

Pang Xuelin said: "Watney, we still have a lot of seeds, you said that if we plant green leafy plants on a large scale in the living chamber and the planting chamber, is it possible to maintain the carbon-oxygen water cycle in the habitat compartment through photosynthesis?" ”

Watney frowned and said: "This method has a certain feasibility, but it needs to accurately control the planting scale and maintain the balance of carbon dioxide, oxygen, and water, which is equivalent to us building a set of miniature biosphere 2 on Mars, which is very difficult, and you must know that our water resources are limited, and if we continue to grow other crops, we will inevitably occupy part of the fertilizer and water originally provided to potatoes, so our food reserves may have problems!" And we also consume liquid oxygen to make water, so if we fail, the time of death may come in the next three or four months. In addition, I need a complete set of mathematical models to simulate this miniature biosphere! ”

Pang Xuelin nodded and said: "I'll get the mathematical model, let's explain our current situation to the earth first!" ”

The newsletter was established again.

[19:23] Perching Cabin: Command, Watney and I have completed a preliminary inspection of the damage to the perching cabin, and no problems have been found with the canvas material in other areas for the time being, and the water circulation system can be repaired, but we have encountered a big problem, the oxygenator molecular sieve has undergone irreversible changes and has lost the ability to adsorb carbon dioxide, we can only use a spare CO2 adsorber at the moment, but only for twenty days of use, in addition, we have a small CO2 filter for 2300 hours, It will allow Watney and me to live for more than forty days, that is, after more than sixty days, the Martian satellite will be able to observe our corpses. Watney and I have drawn up a preliminary plan that will be transmitted to you in the form of a file.

[19:45] JPL: I'm Vencarter Karp, and I'm currently talking to you in Houston via Pasadena. Pong, I'm sorry to hear this news, I hope you and Watney stay calm, our team of experts will come up with a feasible rescue plan as soon as possible, please believe that we will do our best to rescue you until the last minute!

[19:57] Perch: Thank you, Dr. Karp, I hope to hear good news from you soon.

……

[21:35] JPL: Pong, Watney, the team of experts is preliminarily agreeing with your proposal, but we need an accurate mathematical model to be simulated by a supercomputer to come up with a more feasible solution, I can't promise you an exact time, but I will do my best. In addition, according to the latest orbital calculations, we will launch supplies within two months and reach Mars within 500 solar days as much as possible!

[21:53] Perch: Roost & I, Watney and I will submit the corresponding mathematical model within a week.