Sage-Tips

What solution has Watney found to heat the inside of the rover What makes this idea so dangerous?

Whatney creates heat with the RTG. It contains plutonium, which releases heat as it radioactively decays. This substance makes the rover extremely hot, so he removes insulation. He then uses the RTG to power the batteries.

Is the Martian book scientifically accurate?

“The Martian” is a technically accurate sci-fi, so tons of research and constant double-checking of math had to be done. Anything else would have been ruinous to the reader’s suspension of disbelief. Along the way, the math revealed plot points that would have otherwise never happened.

What caused the explosion on Sol 40?

Why did the HAB blow up? There was a ton of hydrogen and oxygen atoms in the air left over from Mark Watney trying to create more water for his crops. As a result, there was an explosion that killed a many potatoes.

What opportunity does Watney consider?

Watney realizes he is within four sols travel of the Mars exploration rover Opportunity—he could potentially use its radio to contact NASA.

What type of scientist is Mark Watney?

botanist
Mark Watney is a botanist.

Did Andy Weir research for The Martian?

Weir told me that the seed for writing The Martian was pretty simple. He said he’s spent his whole life being a “space dork”. He wasn’t a space expert, but—from that perspective—he did begin his research for The Martian with a little more than layman’s knowledges on the topic.

How does Andy Weir know so much science?

Andy knew from the beginning that the density of the Martian atmosphere is so low that any dust storm would be the equivalent of a light breeze. He used it as a literary device to set up the story.

How did Mark figure out he was in a dust storm?

In The Martian by Andy Weir, how did observation and deduction help Mark Watney figure out he had entered a dust storm? Observation and deduction helped Mark Watney figure out he had entered the dust storm because he was able to observe how his power charge rates were changing.

What does Beck want Vogel to do if he can’t reach Watney should he do this why or why not?

On Hermes, Beck and Vogel wait in the airlock. Beck tells Vogel that if he can’t reach Watney, he wants Vogel to release his tether so he can go a bit further.

How strong are the winds on Mars?

The winds in the strongest Martian storms top out at about 60 miles per hour, less than half the speed of some hurricane-force winds on Earth. Focusing on wind speed may be a little misleading, as well. The atmosphere on Mars is about 1 percent as dense as Earth’s atmosphere.

How strong is the Wind in a Martian dust storm?

Even the wind in the largest dust storms likely could not tip or rip apart major mechanical equipment. The winds in the strongest Martian storms top out at about 60 miles per hour, less than half the speed of some hurricane-force winds on Earth. Focusing on wind speed may be a little misleading, as well.

How Dusty is the Mars rover Spirit?

The deck of NASA’s Mars Exploration Rover Spirit is so dusty that the rover almost blends into the dusty background in this image assembled from frames taken by the panoramic camera (Pancam) during the period from Spirit’s Sol 1,355 through Sol 1,358 (Oct. 26-29, 2007). Mars’ dust storms aren’t totally innocuous, however.

How has science fiction changed in the last 15 years?

The last 15 years have provided plenty of fodder for science fiction authors, and looking back, it’s clear that science fiction is in a period of transition: there are more people writing stories than ever before, from every type of background and on a variety of new platforms that didn’t exist before.