Tom laughed and replied, “If we had known this was going to happen, we would have outfitted the HP with a steam-powered generator before we left. OK, you’re all set. I’ll give you a ‘Go’ once I’m back on Deck One, that hatch is sealed, and the ladder-well is depressurized.”
“Roger that,” Carl replied. Carl began climbing the rung-ladder to the roof hatch, as Tom descended the two Jefferson ladders. Before opening the roof hatch, Carl paused, listening to the first deck hatch being sealed, the hiss of the air being pumped out of the ladder well, and then the headset, “OK, we’re just about ready,” Tom said.
“Good. How’s my Comm?” Carl asked.
“Reading you wall to wall,” Tom said over the earpiece. Then, turning to Valerie, “Medical and Environments?” he queried.
“Go,” She responded.
Then to Brandon, “Transport?”
“Transport is a Go,” Brandon replied.
Tom then announced over the Com, “Carl, you are Go for EVA.”
“Roger that,” Carl answered back. “I’m opening the hatch, now.”
At 20% Earth Normal Gravity, the hatch felt as if it only weighed about 4.5 kg. Carl released the clamps and pushed upward. The hatch opened easily. He closed the sun blocking gold shield-plate before proceeding further up the ladder and then drew himself up one rung, followed by another until the rim of the hatch was at chest level. Carl unfastened a small, compact electrical winch from his utility belt and attached the power-spool end to the top rung of the ladder. The other end, he attached to the handle-like ring built into the chest-plate of the suit (the design inspired by the Star Trek movie, The Wrath of Khan). He was now secured to the spacecraft by something more substantial than just the umbilical line. Placing a portable magnetic video camera atop the Hab near the hatch for Brandon to scrutinize the operation, Carl reported, “Ready to deploy.”