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Questions tagged [the-martian]

A science fiction novel by Andy Weir framed as the journal of Mark Watney as he attempts to survive alone on Mars after being abandoned there in an emergency. In 2015 it was adapted into a film starring Matt Damon.

Originally self-published in 2011, The Martian was published in 2014 by Crown Publishing after enjoying success on Amazon as an ebook.

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The novel, framed primarily as the journal of astronaut Mark Watney, chronicles Watney's attempt to survive alone on Mars. When a freak storm causes the evacuation of the landing site, Watney is thought dead and left behind.

Weir researched and calculated the physics of the book with care, and has been praised for his accurate depiction of the science of space travel and human survival in extreme conditions.

Turned into a film starring Matt Damon as Mark Watney and released in 2015.

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What happened to Mark Watney's entertainment pack?

In Andy Weir's "The Martian" a big sub-plot is how much he does not enjoy the music/TV that the other astronauts brought to Mars. Why doesn't he consume his own entertainment? Did I skip over the part where this is mentioned?
Motti
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Why didn't Mark Watney lose all of his water when the hab exploded?

Wouldn't the atmosphere on Mars sublimate all of his water supply? He even says that the water reclaimer's tubes burst due to the event.
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Why did the soil go infertile after the hab depressurised?

When watching The Martian, it seems self-evident that the potato plants did not survive being frozen – but what made the soil infertile? Soil freezes around the Arctic Circle every winter but plants still grow after the thaw. The roof was still…
Adam.at.Epsilon
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In "The Martian", did the Hermes leave immediately or wait for awhile?

The film "The Martian" opens with the expedition ending early due to a dust storm - the crew evacuates to orbit and their mothership, the Hermes. The Hermes then departs for Earth, and after quite some time, Earth discovers what has happened to…
Harper - Reinstate Monica
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What constitutes a "Sol" cycle in the film "The Martian"

In the film (and book) The Martian, NASA has termed a cycle of time as a "Sol", and it is what Watney and the crew use to refer to what seems like it might be a Martian day. Is a Sol equal to one Martian day? If so, is it explained why do they call…
Oran D. Lord
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How did Mark Watney manufacture oxygen in The Martian?

The oxygen level throughout the movie remained at 20%. Why?
Mathav Raj
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Why does Mark use Hexadecimal to communicate?

In the movie Martian, why does Mark use Hexadecimal to communicate with NASA? Couldn't numerals from 0 to 9 sufficed for indicating the number corresponding to the alphabet?
MovieMe
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Why does Mark Watney stop doing this in the garden?

In The Martian, main protagonist Mark Watney has some bad luck on Mars at some point, after which he says he cannot grow anymore potatoes. What prevents him from gathering more soil on Mars, collecting his feces and water like he did before, and…
MicroMachine
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Was Mindy Park's ethnicity confirmed in the text of The Martian?

I spotted this article in the Guardian. The anger focuses on the character of Mindy Park, who is described as Korean-American in the book and played by white actor Mackenzie Davis Ridley Scott accused of 'whitewashing' Asian roles in The…
Koldito
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Are the imaging satellites orbiting Mars really as powerful as "The Martian" portrays them?

In Andy Weir's "The Martian" NASA are able to track Mark Watney's activities using the satellite images. I'm curious if the imaging equipment the Mars satellites have is powerful enough to deliver that level of detail? For example they were able…
cppalex
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Why didn't Hermes drop the supply probe on Mars?

Why didn't the Hermes just drop the resupply payload (after taking out what they needed to survive, of course) onto Mars somewhere near the Ares III site? This would've been safer for Watney and would've saved the Ares IV MAV.
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Why does Watney need an air day every five days or so on his trip to Schiaparelli?

When Watney must get to the Schiaparelli crater in The Martian, he stops every five days for an "Air Day." Why does he do this?
Mariano
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What stopped the Ares IV MAV from toppling?

At the beginning of the film The Martian, part of the dialogue implies that one of the crew has the job of monitoring the MAV to check it is still upright. The importance of this job is clearly shown when a storm hits. Later we find out about…
Jonathan Corwin
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What happens to the HAB?

In The Martian, the "Hab" explodes at some point in the film, specifically the time that the airlock blows out. Is it explained what exactly happens that causes this? I watched the film in the U.S. and English isn't my first language, so some…
MicroMachine
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In this scene from the novel, 'The Martian', by Andy Weir, how does Mark Watney store hydrogen made from water in the tank?

This is the scene from chapter 25, where Watney describes how he had produced and stored hydrogen, which he produced by electrolysing water. I need clarification of the bold part. LOG ENTRY: SOL 529 I’m turning water into rocket fuel. It’s easier…
Kshitij
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