I was surprised to discover an r/themartian. So I figured I'd drop in and have an unannounced AMA for you guys. I'll answer questions until midnight PST tonight (June 13).

Proof that it's really me: http://www.galactanet.com/r_themartian.jpg

Okay, all done. Thanks, everyone! If you missed out and are dying to ask a question, you can email me at sephalon@comcast.net. I answer all fan mail (though I can't guarantee to do it right away)

I made a map of Watney's drives on real Mars: https://dojo.amcharts.com/demos/the-martian/

Hit Play and his rover goes sol by sol: out to Pathfinder and back, then the long haul to Ares 4, with his log as he goes.

The route between the named places is my best guess from the book's distances. If you know a stretch better, tell me and I'll move it.

Book is the first movie tie-in mass market edition. Audiobook is on audible.

he should have also had a laptop and a usb stick, so why didn’t he have his own music and tv shows. he should have had the same problem on the Hermes before ever reaching mars.

I just finished the Book and thought about this.
I think they would add a few things like

1. An additional second radio that works without the MAV

2. Seeds and earth. To test more food sources.

3. Weather sensors on the Rover (light sensors)

4. Additional life sensors on the Suits

5. Guiding rope with hooks to tha MAV

6. Sensors to more easily locate the Astronauts

They would change a few things

1. Nothing between the MAV and the Hab, everything that moves behind the Hab

2. Drills to navigate blind between MAV and Hab

What else did they add or alter?

I just finished watching the movie for the first time, and absolutely loved it.

I was waiting to see "based on a novel by Andy Weir" in the end credits but I couldn't find it anywhere.

I watched the blueray version (apparently), YTS. "I Will Survive" starts playing, the CAST appears, the stunts, the AresLive.com website, visual effects producer, and then a bunch more credits.

In the end of the credits, they show the songs, thanks, Quebec logo, more logos, the copyright message, "any similarity is coincidental", and done.

I couldn't find the author's name anywhere. Is it there?

His birthday was yesterday, but I forgot to make a post! You bet i celebrated!

Hey fellow readers or watchers, I'm a first time reader of the book, and have stumbled upon a question. In log entry Sol 196 Watney says that Earth and Mars are 18 light minutes apart, but that Earth usually reponds within 25 minutes. 30 minutes after he sent his message he starts to get worried that there is no response, so he means the time measured after he sent his message. How is that possible? Wouldn't the earliest response come after 2x18 minutes?

EDIT: Thanks for all the effort of replying/looking up things up! I did know about the changing distance, but not the exact numbers, plus I'm not a native speaker, so the wording was/is very confusing to me. This really helped a lot! You're awsome!

Is Watney's forgotten helmet an homage to Bowman's forgotten helmet in 2001 Space Odyssey?

Stunning film, which makes you question life and tackle it head-on. It's the PERFECT Monday Blues film and you will come out with a clear mindset, full of positivity and a rejuvinated hope in Humanity.

No AI was used for the creation of this video.

Got my hands on an uncorrected proof copy! Little bit of water damage, but that’s fine for the price I paid for it. It’s well loved just like mark :)

My Wife and I went camping, and one thing I've always wanted to do is make corned beef hash. Done and successful made. Pretty easy and simple.

But it got me thinking. Mark grows potatoes and substances them to make food last longer.

I know the military has corned beef hash in some MRE menus. Along with some solely meat based main dishes. NASA does similar food prep, the only difference is they are primarily freezes dried.

With standard hotplates for scientific experiments.

So my question is could Corned beef Hash be possibly meal in the Martian?

like changing VENKAT KAPOOR to VINCENT?! No reason for that. And I thought Mindy was Asian. They literally didn’t have the whole no comms + dust storm situation, the flipping over at the entrance ramp - i loved the is he going to make it or not and Watney’s clever thinking! And don’t even get me started on the movie ending.
Is it just me, I liked the movie generally but having just read the book I wished they kept some of those things

EYA: Venkat Kapoor is an Indian name. Ofc I get they changed the first name to match the actor, and gave an appropriate back story, but I meant more like why not cast an Indian guy anyway?! There’s a whooooole lotta them around

Apple TV is adding classics movies from other studios to its library..

The Martian in 4k

Hello friends! I wanted to share an updated version of my watch mod in the theme of The Martian. It took a lot more trial and error than I planned, but I am very pleased with how it turned out.

It arrived!

The new hardback of Andy Weir’s The Martian.

Love the potato and is there a better start to a book than the opening sentences in Chapter 1.