Greetings from Space Station Pruitt Podcast listeners. From where I sit, I have a perfect

view of Olympus Mons, the highest mountain in the solar system, and a dormant volcano.

That's right, I said volcano. You see, Mars is a very beautiful place from space. Once

you on the ground, Mars is a planet that, well, wants to kill you. And why not? It's been

dying itself for millions of years. The air is a thousand times thinner than the air

at the peak of Mount Everest, and so poisonous that it would suffocate you in a matter of minutes.

The pressure, or lack thereof, will suck the tears from your eyes before you've had a chance

to cry them. Each night, the temperature drops below negative 100 degrees, and that's

in the warm spot. So, why did I send hundreds of kids to a planet so inhospitable? Because

Earth is on borrowed time, my friends. Just ask the dinosaurs. My colony has given us

the most powerful gift in the universe. Hope. But if you want a chance to survive down

there on Mars, first, you have to stick the landing.

Life support is offline. Life support. Julia, Julia, are you okay? Can you hear me? Julia?

Does a live count is okay? Is there how it in place? Yes. Oxygen level is steady. Good.

I'm going to get us out of here. Come on. Come on. Can you help? No. No. Never mind.

I can kick through the hatch. Stay there. I'm going to see where we are.

Oh, my. What is it? No, it's a bad bad. We made it. We're here, Julia. We're on Mars.

Come on out of the shuttle and see it for yourself. I'm afraid I caught you that. You stuck?

Look, that's something you should know. I caught a walk. Are you hurt? No. I'm not injured.

I, I haven't been able to walk since I was eight years old. I didn't understand. On the ship?

I flew to just like you. So, were you like in an accident or something? I'm sorry. Is it wrong to ask?

Okay. Okay, I'm going to do this once and once only. Take your dad treating me like I'm helpless because I'm not.

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