During an official visit by Senator Armstrong (Chris Mcdonald), his assistant Chloe (Elyse Levesque), and Eli Wallace (David Blue), a recently recruited gaming genius, to Icarus, a secret off-world military base, the base falls under a full force attack leaving Colonel Everett Young (Louis Ferreira) with no choice but to retreat. He orders an evacuation to Earth. However, a last minute maneuver by scientist Dr. Nicholas Rush (Robert Carlyle) thrusts the escapees headlong into his experiment, which transports everyone to deep space.
The survivors arrive on an uninhabited ship floating billions of light years away from Earth. Panic spreads throughout the group and Col. Young, who was severely injured during the escape, transfers command to Lt. Matthew Scott, before lapsing into unconsciousness. Teams led by Dr. Rush and Sgt. Greer try to make sense of the situation, while Lt. Tamara Johansen, a medic who was days away from leaving the program, is thrust into the role of chief medical officer.
With the air supply failing on the Destiny a team disembarks to a desert-like planet in search of the mineral needed to scrub the ship's air of carbon dioxide. After testing numerous sand samples without success and with their window of opportunity closing fast the group opts to split into two to cover more ground despite the unbearable heat. While one team presses on to find the treasured mineral the other has another goal in mind. When it is apparent that Dr. Rush (Robert Carlyle) can’t go on Lt. Scott (Brian J. Smith) decides to go it alone and orders Sgt. Greer (Jamil Walker Smith) to return to safety with the exhausted scientist. Meanwhile with life on the ship looking bleak and with the aid of the communication stones Col. Young (Louis Ferreira) reports in to O'Neill and Chloe (Elyse Levesque) has one last chance to see her mother.
The Destiny suffers a power crisis, putting the lives of the stranded crew in jeopardy and forcing them to consider abandoning the ship.
The Destiny is still without power and an attempt to alter their collision course with a star has failed. The situation is now critical. A plan is born to abandon ship using the last working shuttle with the hope that one of three planets in close proximity will be habitable. Although this strategy initially raises the crew's spirits it is short lived when Col. Young (Louis Ferreira) announces there is only room for seventeen people and a lottery will determine who goes and who stays. Stunned by the implication of this news everyone considers their fate. Some including Dr. Nicholas Rush (Robert Carlyle) and Col. Young opt to stay on board. Others determined to survive vie for a seat on the departing shuttlecraft. In the short time that remains alliances are forged and others damaged while Eli (David Blue) tries to create a message in a bottle with the aid of a Kino. But unbeknownst to all forces are at work that no one could have foreseen.
Despite severe rationing and around the clock security the water reserves on board the Destiny continue to drop. Dr. Nicholas Rush (Robert Carlyle) has no explanation for this latest setback but if they are to survive they must find a new water source soon. The only planet within range is a frozen wasteland surrounded by a thin and poisonous atmosphere. Donning two of the ships deteriorated spacesuits Col. Young (Louis Ferreira) and Lt. Scott (Brian J. Smith) head to the planet’s surface hoping to retrieve enough ice to replenish their water supply. But once there tests reveal that the ice near the Stargate contains traces of highly toxic chemicals. Young and Scott take off in search of drinkable samples knowing they don't have long before their air will run out and Destiny jumps back to FTL. Back on board the ship Lt. Tamara Johansen (Alaina Huffman) works with the crew to catch an intruder they believe is responsible for the lost rations.
Robert Carlyle
Dr. Nicholas Rush
Louis Ferreira
Col. Everett Young
David Blue
Eli Wallace
Brian J. Smith
Lt. Matthew Scott
Jamil Walker Smith
Master Sgt. Ronald Greer