Project Hail Mary

Chapters 1-4

Reading Check

1. A thin red line of IR (infrared) light that arcs from the Sun toward Venus (Chapter 1)

2. A middle school science teacher (Chapter 3)

Short Answer

1. Grace’s theory is that liquid water is not necessary to sustain life. (Chapter 3)

2. Grace wants to return to the lab because of “his kids.” He realizes his students will experience starvation, causing many to die as the apocalypse nears. He feels he must help in solving the Astrophage problem. Stratt initially thinks his choice is due to his bruised ego, but in this moment of crisis Grace makes an unselfish choice because he cares about his students. This indicates qualities of selflessness and a willingness to sacrifice a job he loves to save people he cares about. (Chapter 4)

Chapters 5-8

Reading Check

1. They are the three Astrophage cells Stratt allows Grace to keep in the lab after sending the rest to top scientists around the globe. (Chapter 5)

2. He accidentally breeds Astrophage, resulting in a fourth cell, Shemp. (Chapter 5)

Short Answer

1. Grace’s long trip indicates the scope of Stratt’s jurisdiction and the global efforts of different countries to cooperate for humanity’s collective survival. She explains that the decision ultimately came down to timing and efficiency: “No time for any of that stuff. That’s why you put me in charge. Speed.” (Chapter 5)

2. Grace first coined the term “Astrophage” (from Greek roots meaning “star” and “eat”). He also calls the solid xenon material “xenonite.” A long tradition exists of academics, scientists, and explorers coining terms in the process of discovery; Grace is all of these—scientist, teacher, and explorer. (Chapters 3-8)

Chapters 9-12

Reading Check

1. Rocky looks like a Labrador-sized 5-legged spider made of stone, with a 3-fingered hand at the end of each arm and no clear head, eyes, or mouth. (Chapter 10)

2. Grace uses a sound wave analyzer software program and Excel on his laptop to catalog and translate Rocky’s language of chords and notes. (Chapters 11-12)

Short Answer

1. Grace misunderstands and believes that Rocky needs him to convert 26 of Rocky’s mass units into an Earth unit. Rocky, however, gave him the answer in the name: “26” refers to the 26 protons in the nucleus, making it iron. Grace overthinks the problem and makes assumptions in the early stages of communication with an alien species. Although frustrating, speculation and assumptions are an inevitable part of discovery. (Chapter 12)

2. In Rocky’s culture, it is customary to keep one another company while they sleep, and Rocky is the last surviving crew member of the Blip-A. (Chapter 12)

3. This scene showcases that humanity’s survival is Stratt’s sole priority; she suppresses the copyright infringement issue and argues that the Hail Mary crew needs access to the entire wealth of human knowledge. This directly benefits Grace in the future timeline when he uses the Fourier waveform analyzer software to communicate with Rocky. (Chapter 11)

Chapters 13-16

Reading Check

1. Rocky was protected from cosmic radiation by the Astrophage in the fuel tanks, while the rest of the crew succumbed to radiation sickness. (Chapters 13-14)

2. The scientists are breaking up ice to release methane into the atmosphere to insulate the planet for a little longer. (Chapter 14)

3. Eridians split open the armor on their abdomen, defecate waste food, and replace it with new nutrient-dense food. (Chapter 16)

Short Answer

1. Both Leclerc and Redell contribute to climate change and wreak havoc on the global biome in attempting to save humanity, but climatologist Leclerc is personally devastated by it. Redell’s blackpanel project in Africa breeds Astrophage on a huge scale but creates global weather disruptions, and Leclerc must deliberately contribute to greenhouse gas emission to buy the Earth a few more years of insulation. (Chapter 13)

2. Rocky and Grace show interest in one another’s customs around sleeping, eating, and naming. They show great respect for one another’s cultures and differences while working together. (Chapters 13-16)

Chapters 17-20

Reading Check

1. Grace and Rocky will make a 10-kilometer-long xenonite chain with a sampler at one end and drag it through the atmosphere. (Chapter 18)

2. Eridians calculated their journey to Tau Ceti without understanding relativity, so they had more fuel than necessary. (Chapters 18-19)

Short Answer

1. The chain/sampler plan again showcases the tricky balance of speculation and assumption in science; they achieve their goal, but it nearly kills both Rocky and Grace. (Chapters 17-20)

2. There is a breach in the hull from the IR light igniting the atmosphere, and the Astrophage in the breached fuel bay try to migrate to Adrian, sending the ship off course. (Chapter 19)

3. Rocky saves Grace from being crushed but subjects himself to an environment his body is not equipped for; his radiator catches fire, and he collapses. Grace gets Rocky to the airlock so he can recover in his own atmosphere, then fashions an air pump to clear the soot from Rocky’s carapace vents. Rocky decides to sacrifice himself to save Grace, putting faith in Grace to save Erid and Earth. Grace returns the favor by trying to save Rocky despite his own injuries, demonstrating his capacity for self-sacrifice. (Chapters 19-20)

Chapters 21-25

Reading Check

1. Taumoeba (Chapter 21)

2. Dubois and Shapiro die in a massive explosion that vaporizes the entire research facility, due to a mix-up in Astrophage amounts. (Chapters 21 and 23)

Short Answer

1. Grace experiences the consequences of recklessness several times; for example, the soot he cleaned from Rocky’s vents was Rocky’s body trying to heal, and Grace left the Taumoeba unsealed because of his painkillers, resulting in the Taumoeba eating the Hail Mary’s fuel. This causes Grace to lose confidence when he and Rocky realize Taumoeba wouldn’t survive on Threeworld or Venus because nitrogen kills them. (Chapters 21-22)

2. In a flashback, Grace refuses to be the science specialist despite being the only truly qualified person, making excuses about being needed as a teacher. Stratt calls him a coward and tells him he has no choice, relying on Grace’s altruism to steer him in the right direction as he regains his memory. This represents a key development in Grace’s character: Fear of dying rendered him unable to sacrifice his own life in the past, but his actions in the present timeline reflect selflessness. (Chapters 23-24)

Chapters 26-30

Reading Check

1. Grace is on Erid in a clear xenonite habitation structure, working as a teacher to Eridian kids. (Chapter 30)

2. Grace rescues Rocky after the Taumoeba get loose and the Blip-A is dead in space; Rocky returns with Grace and saves Erid. (Chapter 30)

3. Earth is saved by the beetles equipped with Taumoeba and data; Eridian scientists see that Sol has returned to its normal luminosity after 16 years, meaning humans saved the planet. (Chapter 30)

Short Answer

1. In breeding nitrogen-resistant Taumoeba, they accidentally created Taumoeba that also could work their way through xenonite, escape their containers, and get to the fuel. (Chapter 28)

2. Life at a cellular level is single-mindedly focused on survival through consumption or reproduction, but higher intelligence gives different tools to survive. Astrophage and Taumoeba represent nature’s imperative to survive, but ultimately survival in the story comes from collaboration, compassion, and selflessness, with Rocky and Grace working together to save each other and their planets. (Chapters 26-30)

3. Grace decides to save Rocky and Erid even if it means he will die. This sacrifice is a shift from the past when he was willing to risk humanity’s survival because he didn’t want to die. This choice is significant because Grace finally understands having something to die for after discovering true friendship with Rocky. (Chapter 29)