The air is thin, there is some water, high population, and for once it is a pleasantly warm world (a balmy 16 degrees). The day is 29:50 hours (14:55 per half-day). Tech Level is 9, and so there is the capability for normal system space traffic with Grav thrusters. In fact there is thriving interplanetary travel, although they don't actually have any interstellar ships (there are no places within Jump-1).
The local trading facilities are excellent, and the good ground crew can get them through in three days. They decide to use the compressors to replenish their air while taking on just food supplies.
Around 12:00 (3:00pm local time) Steve Howard contacts the starport and taps into the IFSS communications message bank. The Althea, with Captain Delaney on board, has already passed through this system on its way to Karakus.