I noticed something during a rewatch that I missed the first time around, which is that radio waves cannot reach across a wormhole created by a 9th chevron address, at least not at the distance Destiny and the Milky Way were from each other. This means that Earth couldn't have used a MALP to confirm that it was possible to reach the other side. It is only because the Icarus planet's naquadria core went critical, forcing the "wrong people" to blindly evacuate through an unfamiliar wormhole, that Earth didn't try sending a MALP through and didn't end up writing off the 9th chevron address as a dead end.
This unexplained quirk of 9th chevron radio signal transmissions (Signal degradation? Interference from the amount of energy going to the gate? [Insert technobabble of your choice]?) was first first hinted at in the pilot. It's not clear why they didn't have a MALP prepped and ready to go before they tried dialing the gate, but after the first few people made it through, Scott tried and failed to radio Icarus.
It became a confirmed problem in season 2's "Twin Destinies" when we got the following line of dialogue.
(Eli was only able to tell Earth to expect them by using a communication stone.)
If not for the combined confluence the Lucian Alliance attack, Rush's calculations being slightly off, Rush making a last ditch attempt to dial the 9th chevron while the base's leadership was distracted, Icarus' shielding blocking the Hammond from beaming everyone off the planet, and the communication stones making it through the gate, Earth would have had nobody and nothing to tell them any people they tried to send through wouldn't go splat against an iris or shield, be vaporized in an inferno, or [insert immediate death that can also take out a MALP of your choice].
This unexplained quirk of 9th chevron radio signal transmissions (Signal degradation? Interference from the amount of energy going to the gate? [Insert technobabble of your choice]?) was first first hinted at in the pilot. It's not clear why they didn't have a MALP prepped and ready to go before they tried dialing the gate, but after the first few people made it through, Scott tried and failed to radio Icarus.
SCOTT: (into the radio) This is Scott, slow down the evac we are comin' in too hot!
(Scott gets no response while responding to Wray and directing people to move to the side of the gate so that they don't get hit by the next set of human projectiles.)
SCOTT: (into the radio) This is Scott, come in! Colonel, come in!
(Again, no response.)
SCOTT: (into the radio) Colonel, come in!
(More radio silence.)
(Scott gets no response while responding to Wray and directing people to move to the side of the gate so that they don't get hit by the next set of human projectiles.)
SCOTT: (into the radio) This is Scott, come in! Colonel, come in!
(Again, no response.)
SCOTT: (into the radio) Colonel, come in!
(More radio silence.)
It became a confirmed problem in season 2's "Twin Destinies" when we got the following line of dialogue.
TELFORD: Those of you still taking part in the evacuation are going to form two lines. Everything we carry with us becomes a projectile in a nine chevron transit, so we are going home with the clothes on our backs, nothing more. Eli has warned them to expect us, but it seems that a radio signal does not reach across a nine chevron connection, so I'll go first to warn them that we're on our way. You will follow in three-second intervals, two at a time. Eli, are we ready?
If not for the combined confluence the Lucian Alliance attack, Rush's calculations being slightly off, Rush making a last ditch attempt to dial the 9th chevron while the base's leadership was distracted, Icarus' shielding blocking the Hammond from beaming everyone off the planet, and the communication stones making it through the gate, Earth would have had nobody and nothing to tell them any people they tried to send through wouldn't go splat against an iris or shield, be vaporized in an inferno, or [insert immediate death that can also take out a MALP of your choice].