These scientists are from a planet in a nearby star system. Ttereattie is a world with only one sapient species. Believe it or not, that's rather rare. Most inhabited worlds are home to two are more. The beings of Ttereattie had long wanted to reach the stars but had lacked the tech to get there. It wasn't until about 60 years ago that a single space program got off the ground. The program was the result of an Ehonaruwe merchant ship crash-landing on the planet's surface. Ttereattie is also rare in that it's one of the few planets inducted into the Ehonaruwe by accident. That was also the result of that merchant ship crash-landing.

Now there are multiple space programs working in tandem to explore the system and systems beyond. There are now settlements on numerous object sprinkled throughout the area. Most of them are for scientific inquiry but others are for the usual reason: self-preservation. There's not a great thirst for expanding the footprint of their society. 

This scientific outpost is another in the proud tradition of study for study's sake. As I mentioned before the surviving scientists will have a lot to go over. But they'll also have an incredible story for when they go home.