Besides the control console, the first deck contains a full bath with laundry facilities, an Extravehicular Activity (EVA) prep room leading to two airlocks, and a sample collection box. The box acts like a mini-airlock: a variety of samples (such as ore) are placed in the container from outside the ship. Then, the box is sealed to the outside and opened from inside the Habitat. As an added precaution, the box has a secondary seal so that any possible contamination is contained within the box. The person examining the samples can easily see them through the clear lid of the box and conduct tests, after slipping their hands into gloves that are attached to the box from inside the Hab. A variety of tools and testing supplies compliment the box’s laboratory features.
One of the more interesting attributes of the ship is the ladder-well. On each deck there is an airlock hatch. In the event of atmospheric depressurization, this enables any one deck to be sealed off from the other two until repairs can be made. In a manner of speaking, the entire ladder-well thus becomes an airlock.
The ladder-well also features a Jefferson Staircase running from the first deck to the second and another from the second deck to the third. Thomas Jefferson invented this type of stair for loft areas and places where a typical staircase wouldn’t fit. It has a much steeper incline than a regular staircase only requiring four feet of horizontal differential between the bottom tread and the top, but is quite easy to use because of the alternating half-stair design. The trick is to always start out on the right foot, or is it the left foot? After a few bruised shins, the crew will quickly figure that out.
Aboard Bolo One, Ty and Brandon wanted a place where the entire crew could gather in the event of a major solar flare eruption while en route to Mars. The ship itself will provide sufficient shielding for day-to-day background radiation, but a major solar flare (occurring about once per year, on average) can emit a very high dose in a short period of time. A shielded area was needed for protection. Running through all three decks, from top to bottom, the ladder-well seemed to be the best choice.