What rules should have been followed by the crew of Prometheus to survive? [Spoi

Let me try to start the list. I purposely left a lot of space for additions. [b]PRELAUNCH STAGE[/b] [b]1. Selection of crew based on skills as well as psychological compatibility.[/b] Each crewmember has sufficient knowledge of any other crewmember’s skills, temper and communication. The crew size is limited but sudden loss of a single member does not compromise whole flight. Kim Stanley Robinson’s novel [i]Red Mars[/i] awesomely models crew interaction during lengthy space mission carried out by a limited number of people. [b]2. Thorough training.[/b] Even today, when astronauts are mostly civilians, every candidate undergoes vast training. They are fit healthy and have gone through their tasks dozens of times in training. No dead body scares trained men. [b]3. Furnishing sufficient amount of supplies and equipment for several months or even years of operation.[/b] Interstellar flight is an expensive endeavour. No one returns if the crewmember feels sick. There are enough food and medical supplies for all members of the team. And yes, it includes a possibility of abortion. [b]4. Proper subordination.[/b] There is one and single commanding officer, whose orders are law. Period. [b]ORBITAL ACTIVITY[/b] [b]1. Research of the planet from orbit.[/b] At least couple of weeks are spent to study planet’s atmosphere and make a proper map, choose landing sites and look for life. It was not been done at Prometheus, as the landing spot has been chosen it atmosphere. Apollo 8, 9 and 10 flew to the Moon but never intended to land. First they looked where and how to land. [b]2. Landing done by a small manned pod, while mothership says on orbit.[/b] Pretty controversial clause, however it is sure easier and safer to parachute a small manned landing module for reconnaissance with supplies for several weeks and fuel for a single launch to orbit, than bringing down the whole vessel with mass and fuel for a return trip to Earth. Recall Apollo 11 - command module staid at orbit. [b]PLANETARY ACTIVITY[/b] [b]1. Never leave your team.[/b] I mean never! The team is a single unit. It can’t survive when broken. Each has separate tasks, but each holds a part of the whole baggage. I may tell that it is not fun when some dork takes half of a tent and leaves you with another half in a forest for a night! And ah! All outcasts are eaten by tigers. [b]2. Leave your helmet on![/b] Bacteria has been discovered in 1828. Viruses - in 1892. By 2012 no one can surely tell where prion infections come from. On an alien planet you can catch a bunch of new unknown diseases! Remember [i]The War of the Worlds[/i] by H. G. Wells? This time the humans are invaders. [b]3. Explorers are armed.[/b] Even amidst of polar nothingness you can accidentally stomp on a bear. Better hold on to you gun! The weapon of choice shall be more of a hunting rifle than any automatic weapons. Elephant guns for long distances and shotguns for short. Pistols are only fit for suicide. Can’t really think of a spot to stick those flamethrowers into! [b]4. Each field member is being monitored by a separate operator in mothership.[/b] It is even done today! Try watching live coverages of ISS EVAs at NASA TV. You can’t get lost when being watched by a guy who has a rotating nifty pearlescent stereoscopic live 3d map (duh!). Feel free to add facts to the list or criticise the current one. It’s fun!

^^^^^ what Volo said ^^^^^^ Plus: NO LINDELOF

how about...not poking an alien cobra? LOLOLOLOLOL

Here it is short and sweet...This is not a sicentific mission or a military one. It is some rich guys whim and it is run that way...Whoever picks up the check gets to make the rules....Now, go look at the movie...It all makes sense Consider: Science would have used methods. Military would have used precdures as we saw in ALIENS....Private whim party...anything goes

[quote][i]This is not a sicentific mission or a military one. It is some rich guys whim and it is run that way...Whoever picks up the check gets to make the rules...[/i][/quote] Richie, Ever been to a safari or a hunt? Any experienced guide shall say – do not poke a gun at people and do not approach a horse from the back. Such guide won’t care how much you pay if you risk to kill yourself or others. We are not talking of the aims of the mission. We are talking of the basic preparations and safety rules, so no one shoots own foot.

Rigid chain of command... ie Vickers, the only competent proactive leader int he whole bunch. If they would have listened to her in the first place the whole mess would have been... manageable. I find it difficult to believe that someone of Weyland's intellect would allow for this circus. He must have, actually, been pretty out of it for while. A shame he disliked her so...

1.) The scientists didn't have to be armed, but they should have had an expedition security team. At least one red shirt when they beamed down, or whatever. 2.) Clearer authority positions. The Captain is THE Captain. And the expedition into the structure should have had a clear leader. 3.) They needed somebody like Crewman Guy in Galaxy Quest saying "something bad happened here." 4.) Common Sense 5.) After crossing lightyears is not the time to find out that your Geologist and others are afraid of the dark or something that looks like a painting from the Holocaust or whatever. 6.) It's also not the time for a mission briefing. 7.) Leave some breadcrumbs there, Hansel and Gretel. I can't believe they had no way to find their way back to the entrance.

All kinds of rules were broken or just plain not followed in Alien. Wonder why nobody talks about or criticizes that???

Thank you, [b]Cry Havoc[/b]. Some of your wording is better (shorter) than mine. I'll update the list shortly. [b]Engineering[/b], Nostromo team was good in tugging big heap of metal from point A to point B, nothing more. Even they had common safety rules. Crew survival was jeopardized by Ash, who, as we know it, done it intentionally.

[quote][i]All kinds of rules were broken or just plain not followed in Alien. Wonder why nobody talks about or criticizes that???[/i][/quote] I doubt the crew of the Nostromo, a refinery ship, had the same level of training that the crew of the Prometheus did. Then again, from the way they acted, the crew of the Prometheus made some pretty dumb choices and decisions. But they were supposed to be scientists. The crew in ALIEN were probably mostly pilots and space drive engineers with one Science Officer. And they did break the rules by letting the team back on the ship with Kane having a parasite on his face. Ripley told Ash not to let them in and he did anyway. The point is, the crew of the Prometheus seemed to have no rules to follow. Unlike the crew in ALIEN. But they should have. Vickers should have been quoting rules and regulations before she stopped Holloway from going back aboard. All she did was mumble something about contamination. It's more plausible that a crew of what are basically Space Truckers screwed up and broke the rules than a Scientific Expedition not having any rules.