Mars Crossing

By the middle of the twenty-first century, after decades of setbacks, humanity has finally achieved a manned landing on Mars-only to watch helplessly as the members of the mission perish in a catastrophic accident. When a second mission ends tragically as well, the world begins to turn its back on manned space exploration.

With time and resources running out, a third-and perhaps final-mission to Mars is hastily mounted, with a crew of four men and two women: John Radkowski, veteran pilot and mission commander; Ryan Martin, quiet, dedicated systems engineer, Cham Limpigomolchai, a brilliant Thai geologist; Tana Jackson, an exacting mission biologist; Estrela Conselheiro, a fiery Brazilian whose husband was lost on the first Mars mission, and Trevor Whitman, a brash young man who gains his place on the mission through an international lottery.

From the moment of their landing on Mars, everything begins to go wrong. The fuel tanks that were to have supplied their return trip are found corroded and empty. Their supplies are running out and their life support systems are beginning to fail. And any rescue mission won't reach them for months, or even years—if help comes at all.

The crew's only hope for survival lies in a daring and desperate plan; an agonizing trek halfway across the surface of Mars to find an abandoned ship designed to carry only half their number. Torn by conflict and dissent, and troubled by secrets that endanger their slight chance for survival, they must embark on a harrowing ordeal that will test them to the limits of human endurance.