O piloto estava preocupado que se o MAV (Mars Ascent Vehicle) inclinasse além de 12 graus, ele tombaria e ficaria encalhado na superfície do planeta sem meios de reentrar na órbita. Quando a velocidade da tempestade foi anunciada (por exemplo, suficiente para derrubar o VAM), o capitão tomou a decisão de esfregar a missão e voltar para o espaço.
No evento, a tempestade atingiu um pouco mais cedo e com mais força do que o esperado e o módulo caiu para 13 graus. O piloto usou um propulsor de reação para temporariamente erguer o módulo de escape, mas essa era apenas uma solução de curto prazo que lhes custava combustível e comprou-lhes alguns segundos a mais.
Para responder à sua pergunta específica, se eles tivessem se mudado para o HAB (itat), todos eles teriam morrido de fome dentro de cerca de 70 dias quando o suprimento de comida acabasse.
A descrição no livro é bastante semelhante;
“Strap in!” he yelled to the crew. “We’re tipping!”
The MAV creaked as it tilted faster and faster.
“Thirteen degrees,” Johanssen called out from her couch.
Buckling his restraints, Vogel said, “We are far past balance. We will not rock back.”
“We can’t leave her!” Beck yelled. “Let it tip, we’ll fix it!”
“Thirty-two metric tons including fuel,” Martinez said, his hands flying over the controls. “If it hits the ground, it’ll do structural damage to the tanks, frame, and probably the second-stage engine. We’d never be able to fix it.”
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“I’ve got one trick. If that doesn’t work, I’m following her orders.” Bringing the orbital maneuvering system online, he fired a sustained burn from the nose cone array. The small thrusters fought against the lumbering mass of the slowly tilting spacecraft.
“You are firing the OMS?” Vogel asked.
“I don’t know if it’ll work. We’re not tipping very fast,” Martinez said. “I think it’s slowing down…”
“The aerodynamic caps will have automatically ejected,” Vogel said. “It will be a bumpy ascent with three holes in the side of the ship.”
“Thanks for the tip,” Martinez said, maintaining the burn and watching the tilt readout. “C’mon…“
“Still thirteen degrees,” Johanssen reported.
“What’s going on up there?” Lewis radioed. “You went quiet. Respond.”
“Stand by,” Martinez replied.
“Twelve point nine degrees,” Johanssen said.
“It is working,” Vogel said.
“For now,” Martinez said. “I don’t know if maneuvering fuel will last.”