NASA
his low-level employee's meticulous attention to detail leads to the stunning discovery that Mark Watney survived, initiating the entire rescue effort.
Who is Mindy Park?
As mission commander, her leadership is defined by competence and deep care for her crew, overshadowed by the heavy burden of guilt she carries after leaving Watney.
Who is Commander Melissa Lewis?
These are Mark Watney's two official specialties on the Ares 3 mission, combining skills vital for survival.
What are Botanist and Mechanical Engineer?
The Ares 3 mission lands and sets up the Hab in this large northern plains region of Mars.
What is Acidalia Planitia?
The primary format Watney uses to record his experiences, forming much of the novel's text.
What are log entries?
The very first survival action Mark performs is removing a piece of antenna embedded in this part of his body.
What is his side/abdomen?
The scientific field Watney relies on heavily for designing fixes, modifying equipment, calculating structural loads, and general problem-solving.
What is Engineering?
Mark Watney's relentless refusal to give up, facing one life-threatening problem after another, highlights this core theme.
What is Perseverance / Survival / Determination?
As Director of Mars Operations, he acts as a crucial, often stressed, liaison navigating the pressures between NASA leadership, engineering teams, and the astronauts.
Who is Venkat Kapoor?
This skilled pilot shares a close, humorous camaraderie with Watney and later demonstrates extraordinary capability executing the risky MAV launch and Hermes intercept.
Who is Rick Martinez?
This specific piece of mission hardware impales Watney during the storm, breaching his suit and destroying his bio-monitor's telemetry signal.
What is an antenna (specifically the main communications dish receiver antenna)?
This type of severe weather event forces the Ares 3 crew to abort their mission early.
What is a dust storm?
Watney's frequent use of humor, sarcasm, and pop culture references establishes this distinctive aspect of his narration.
What is his tone or voice?
Mark successfully cultivates these tubers inside the Hab using Martian soil, reclaimed water, and human waste.
What are potatoes?
This harmless gas (N2) was the primary gaseous byproduct Watney needed to carefully vent after decomposing hydrazine (N2H4) to produce hydrogen (H2) for his water maker.
What is Nitrogen (N2)?
Watney's constant application of scientific knowledge and clever engineering to solve seemingly impossible problems underscores this theme.
What is Human Ingenuity / Resourcefulness?
This character fiercely controls NASA's public image, orchestrating press conferences and managing the media narrative surrounding Watney's survival and rescue.
Who is Annie Montrose?
The crew's youngest member, she demonstrates exceptional technical skill and quiet competence by managing Hermes' complex systems, especially hacking them for the return trip.
Who is Beth Johanssen?
Watney jokingly adopts this swashbuckling title for himself, reflecting his commandeering of abandoned mission equipment.
What is a Space Pirate?
This inflatable, pressurized structure serves as Mark Watney's primary shelter on Mars.
What is the Hab (Habitat)?
The central struggle of Mark Watney against the hostile Martian environment represents this fundamental type of conflict.
What is Man vs. Nature (or Person vs. Environment)?
This critical survival feat involved Watney locating, retrieving, repairing, and powering up a long-defunct probe to contact NASA.
What is re-establishing communication (using Pathfinder)?
Mark digs up the plutonium-powered RTG (Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator) primarily to utilize its steady radioactive decay for this purpose inside the rover.
What is providing heat?
The global effort, including crucial help from the China National Space Administration, to save a single astronaut demonstrates this positive theme.
What is International Cooperation / Unity?
His bold, scientifically brilliant (but initially unauthorized) trajectory plan embodies the triumph of pure calculation and astronautical science over bureaucratic caution.
Who is Rich Purnell?
Beyond serving as the crew's doctor, his designated role as EVA specialist becomes critical during the mission's final, perilous rescue operation.
Who is Dr. Chris Beck?
The potatoes Watney expertly cultivates were originally brought by the crew, vacuum-sealed and intended for this specific celebratory meal.
What is Thanksgiving dinner?
This large crater is the location of the Ares 4 MAV and Watney's ultimate destination for rescue.
What is Schiaparelli Crater?
While Watney's sections are in first-person, the scenes on Earth and the Hermes utilize this narrative perspective.
What is third-person perspective?
To save weight for orbital rendezvous, Mark drastically strips down this vehicle, removing the nose cone, windows, control panels, and hull sections.
What is the MAV (Mars Ascent Vehicle)?
Rich Purnell's rescue plan relies heavily on complex calculations within this branch of physics concerning spacecraft trajectories and gravitational assists.
What is Orbital Mechanics?
The immense resources spent and extreme risks taken by NASA personnel and the Hermes crew emphasize this fundamental theme.
What is the Value of Human Life?
Representing the crew's interests from Mission Control, this Flight Director passionately argues for their safety and autonomy, often challenging administrative decisions.
Who is Mitch Henderson?
This European astronaut contributes vital chemistry expertise and maintains a calm, professional demeanor, providing stability and scientific analysis during crises.
Who is Alex Vogel?
Beyond creating viable soil and water for his farm, Watney had to ensure the Hab environment contained sufficient levels of this gas, essential for plant photosynthesis, using the Hab's atmospheric regulator.
What is Carbon Dioxide (CO2)?
Watney modifies one of these standard mission vehicles for his long cross-planet journey.
What is the rover?
This common household adhesive becomes a recurring, humorous symbol of Mark's makeshift repairs and resourceful engineering.
What is duct tape?
Following the Hab airlock explosion, Mark used Hab canvas and resin sealant, held in place by these structural supports while the patch cured.
What are bracing struts/straps?
Mark extracts the needed hydrogen (H2) for water production by decomposing this leftover MAV rocket fuel component (N2H4).
What is Hydrazine (N2H4)?
The novel's detailed focus on plausible scientific solutions and logical problem-solving champions this overarching theme.
What is The Power/Importance of Science?
As head of JPL, he embodies the immense pressure and high stakes of rapid technological development when overseeing the ultimately failed Iris resupply probe construction.
Who is Bruce Ng?
This unanimous, ethically complex decision made by the entire Hermes crew signifies their profound loyalty and willingness to defy orders and risk their lives for Watney.
What is the decision to mutiny / implement the Rich Purnell Maneuver and return to Mars?
To permanently patch the large hole in the Hab after the Airlock 1 explosion, Watney used spare Hab canvas secured with bracing straps and sealed primarily with this specific adhesive compound that required time to cure.
What is resin (sealant)?
Watney must carefully navigate through or around this complex valley system near the rim of Schiaparelli Crater.
What is Mawrth Vallis?
The novel's incredibly detailed descriptions of scientific processes, engineering challenges, and Martian procedures create this powerful sense of authenticity or believability within the story's world.
What is verisimilitude?
Watney's immense cross-Martian trek using the rover, covering 3,200 km from this flat plain to Schiaparelli Crater, was Watney's longest single survival feat.
What is Acidalia Planitia?
Mark uses observations of Mars's moons, Phobos and Deimos, or the Sun, along with his chronometer, to perform this fundamental type of directional determination during his rover traverse.
What is Celestial Navigation?
Mark's reliance on log entries, his joy at regaining contact with NASA, and his thoughts of the crew show the importance of this basic human need.
What is Connection / Communication?
The catalyst Watney uses to safely decompose hydrazine (N2H4) into N2 and H2 (needed for water production) is made primarily of this rare and expensive precious metal.
What is Iridium?
According to JPL records discussed by Venkat and Bruce Ng, the original Pathfinder mission ended prematurely on Mars due to this kind of technical failure.
What is a software failure / system reboot loop?
According to a comment by Venkat Kapoor, NASA Administrator Teddy Sanders holds a Ph.D. in this specific engineering field.
What is Electrical Engineering?