Real Life versus Science Fiction: Let's Fact Check
Ridley Scott could be forgiven for depicting Andy Weir's "The Martian" as an outer-space version of "Robinson Crusoe". Moviegoers can relate to a botanist's search for any form of humaneness in a parched valley. And some travelers would agree. (Wadi Rum, located in southern Jordan, turned out to be the perfect backdrop for Mars.) Mark Watney must wait for the next mission, and three years seemed like an eternity. (It takes eight months for a spacecraft to travel from Earth to Mars and another eight for the journey back home.) Some would point out that disco music might be the reason behind Watney's growing problem of depression. They may not be fans of Donna Summer, which will be another matter.
Weir did his research. (The book was published in 2011.) And no one would doubt his background. (The native of Davis, California is a software engineer. His father is an accelerator physicist, while his mother is an electrical engineer.) The release of the film couldn't come at a better time; NASA recently confirmed evidence of liquid water running down the canyons and crater walls. There can be life on the Red Planet, which Weir didn't take into account (in his novel). He could be forgiven again.
The book began with a dust storm forcing the crew of Ares III to abort their mission. Alas, a communications equipment knocked off Watney. Melissa Lewis, the captain of the crew, presumed he was dead. It turned out to be the start of an odyssey. NASA would point out that a dust storm of such magnitude wouldn't occur. And Weir won't dispute it. (There would be no story without this twist.) Viewers would wonder about the accuracy of the science in the novel (and film). Let's do a fact check:
Is it possible to stay that long in outer space? If you read too many NASA reports, then you know about radiation in outer space. This is the reason why astronauts don't go beyond the Earth's magnetosphere. (In the case of the Apollo 11 astronauts, the trio spent 22 hours in the Moon.) "The Martian" showed the crew in Mars for quite some time. For the sake of argument, there's a likely chance that they'll develop radiation-related sickness. But NASA don't see it as a problem. In fact, it visualizes a human colony beneath the surface. It might not happen this millennium, but don't bet against it.
How about taking off from Mars? The most improbable part of the book (and film) was how Watney left the planet. It took him seven months to drive from the artificial habitat to the projected site of the Ares IV. He stripped off the launching vehicle, until it was light enough to fly into outer space. The windows and ceiling were covered with tarp, while Watney must used his spacesuit to protect himself against the vacuum of space. This one would be pure fiction. In fact, NASA don't have a clue. Yet. It will send a rover five years from now, where it will gather more data. And then a lander will pick it up. The success (or failure) of this mission will give the agency an idea for the first manned mission to the Red Planet.
Walk or hop? Edgar Rice Burroughs turned out to be right on this one. Gravity in Mars is lower than Earth's, such that it won't be possible to walk on the arid landscape. Only a hop (or jump) will do, which John Carter would use to his advantage.
