With time running out and the MAV about to collapse, Lewis makes a painful decision: launch without Mark. They believe he’s dead. The rocket lifts off, leaving Mark’s limp body alone on the red planet.
But survival isn’t just farming. Cold, radiation, equipment failures, and a catastrophic Hab airlock explosion almost kill him. He patches everything with “Martian engineering” – duct tape, spare parts, and pure stubbornness.
One day, a severe Martian storm hits their camp. Winds at 175 km/h threaten to topple their Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV). Commander Lewis orders an emergency evacuation. During the rush to the shuttle, a massive antenna breaks loose, hits Mark, and throws him into the raging dust storm. His suit telemetry goes flat – heart rate zero.