 FACT: When the astronauts split up in the desert Col Brubaker  (Brolin) says hes going West and tells John (Simpson) to go North,  and Peter (Waterston) to go South. But actually John goes South and  Peter goes North. This error is repeated later by Kelloway  (Holbrook) when informed of Johns death he tells the searchers to  look West and South for Brubaker and Peter, instead of West and  North.