Project Hail Mary

1. When the narrator wakes up from a coma, what clues does he use to try to remember who and where he is? Why does he suspect that he is not on Earth? What experiment does he design to test his hypothesis?

2. What is the Petrova line? What observation about the Petrova line causes scientists to realize that Earth may be in danger?

3. Why would the Hail Mary be designed to keep astronauts in the sleeping area until they are able to remember their names?

4. Why is the Petrova Taskforce established instead of having nations work independently? Why is Dr. Grace selected to work with the Petrova Taskforce? What is his initial job? What qualifications does he have?

5. Why do experts suspect that the Petrova line is made of an alien life form? What precautions are taken with the sample that Dr. Grace works with initially?

6. Explain the purpose of the tests that Dr. Grace runs on the first sample of Astrophage (48 -52). Can you think of any additional tests that you would have wanted to conduct on the sample? What initial discoveries does he make? Based on root word meanings, explain why he names the life-form "Astrophage."

7. Describe the burial that Grace gives Yao and Ilyukhina. What does he remember about them? How can you tell that he cares about his crewmates?

8. Based on the memories of being in his classroom, what do you think Dr. Grace's strengths were as a teacher? What do you think it would have been like to take his class? How can you tell that he enjoyed being a teacher?

9. Why do you think the project to save Earth was given the name Project Hail Mary?

10. What makes Grace realize that the Hail Mary mission was not designed to include a return to Earth?

11. What is significant about Tau Ceti? What do scientists hope they will discover if they travel to Tau Ceti?

12. Why does Stratt decide to put the crew of the Hail Mary into comas during their voyage? What are the risks associated with an extended medically induced coma? How does she plan to mitigate these risks?

13. When Grace makes first contact with the alien ship, how does he communicate? Do you agree with his decision to allow further contact with the alien ship at the risk his own safety? Explain your answer.

14. Explain the observations and discoveries about Erid and Eridians that Grace makes during his first meeting with Rocky in Chapter 10.

15. How do humans manage to breed enough Astrophage for the Hail Mary mission? What are the risks associated with their plan?

16. How did the other Eridians on Blip-A die? Why wasn't Rocky affected? Why didn't Eridians need to worry about radiation on Erid?

17. Describe Rocky's theory explaining why human and Eridian science is similar. Do you agree with his hypothesis? Explain your answer.

18. How is Rocky able to visit the Hail Mary even though he needs a different atmosphere to survive?

19. How does Stratt justify her guideline that all members of the Hail Mary crew be heterosexual men? Why does Grace find this problematic? Was her guideline followed or overruled?

20. Grace and Rocky develop an unspoken rule that differences in their cultures have to be accepted. Why would this rule be helpful for friends, crewmates, or team members?

21. What does the Astrophage sample taken from the Tau Ceti Petrova line reveal? What theory does Rocky develop about why Adrian is able to live in balance with Astrophage based on this discovery? Using this theory, what plan do they develop to save Earth and Erid?

22. What theories do Rocky and Grace come up with to explain why they evolved in such a way that they can hear similar frequencies, have similar intelligence, and both are willing to risk their lives to save others? Do you find their theories plausible? Explain your answer.

23. After Grace remembers what his mission is, he wonders, "Why would I, of all people, be a part of this mission. . . . Surely there were more qualified people" (101). What does he eventually realize about why he was a part of the crew of the Hail Mary?

24. Why do you think Stratt did not tell Grace that he was the tertiary science specialist at the beginning of the project? Do you think it would have made a difference if she had? Explain your answer.

25. What "gifts" do Rocky and Grace exchange before they depart for their respective voyages home? How do you think Eridians and humans will use the knowledge they glean from the alien technology?

26. Do you find the book's conclusion satisfying? Explain your answer.