Character from Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
The optimistic engineer who designed the Beetle probes — humanity's backup plan for getting the data home even if the crew didn't make it.
Hatch is the team's optimist, which in the context of an extinction-level crisis means he's the one designing contingencies rather than eulogies. His Beetle probes — four unmanned craft named John, Paul, George, and Ringo — are the insurance policy: even if the Hail Mary crew dies (and two-thirds of them do), the probes can carry data back to Earth at 0.93 times the speed of light. He names the probes after the Beatles because he's the kind of engineer who gives things names, which tells you everything about how he relates to his work: these aren't machines, they're his contribution to survival. Each carries five terabytes of storage and enough Astrophage fuel for a twelve-year return trip.
The approachable build of an engineer who works with his hands — optimistic energy visible in his posture and expression.
Also known as: Hatch, Steve