What was the purpose of the alarm? What had caused its failure?
The purpose of the alarm was to warn the crew about any problems with the air quality or air purification system in the space station.
The alarm failed because of a combination of factors. The space station experienced a rare eclipse by Earth's shadow that night, which caused part of the air purifier to freeze up, and the single alarm in the circuit failed to go off.
Additionally, the backup alarm circuit was not yet connected, leaving the station without a functioning warning system.
Explanation
The story reveals that the alarm system was meant to detect air quality problems, but multiple failures occurred. The eclipse caused the air purifier to freeze, and the primary alarm failed to trigger. Jim's assistant revealed that 'the second alarm circuit isn't connected up yet,' meaning there was no backup system. The narrator ironically notes that 'half a million dollars' worth of chemical and electronic engineering had let us down completely.'
Solution Steps
The alarm's purpose was to warn the crew about air quality or air purification problems in the space station
A rare eclipse by Earth's shadow caused part of the air purifier to freeze up
The primary alarm in the circuit failed to trigger
The backup alarm circuit was not yet connected, leaving no functioning warning system