While the Hermes is a work of fiction, it's based in well established science. The first ideas a spacecraft traveling between Earth and Mars are nearly a century old. In 1925 Walter Hohmann proposed an elliptical orbit between the two worlds.

How much of The Martian is realistic?

There is the plausible science (using rocket fuel as a source for water) and the downright impossible fiction (Mars sandstorms are not strong enough to cause damage. They're more like gentle breezes.). So while the overall Martian scenario may be fictional, the science in COLL 150 is very real.

What parts of The Martian are unrealistic?

The most unrealistic thing about the film “The Martian” is the only unrealistic thing about it: the dust storm at the beginning. Dust storms on Mars cannot get strong enough to cause those kinds of problems.

How big was the Hermes in The Martian?

The build of the Hermes was a major focus for Framestore's teams. At 225 meters in length, the spaceship is the biggest and most complex created by Framestore to date, and is more than double the size of the current International Space Station (ISS).

Why does the Hermes spaceship spin in The Martian?

Hermes has a rotating wheel, or centrifuge, to provide artificial gravity for the crew. Spaceships in “2001: A Space Odyssey” and “Mission to Mars” were similarly equipped. Although it is not shown in the film, the astronauts would have used a Mars descent vehicle (MDV) to get down from Hermes to the surface.

NASA Scientists Fact-Check “The Martian"

Is the Hermes from The Martian possible?

While the Hermes is a work of fiction, it's based in well established science. The first ideas a spacecraft traveling between Earth and Mars are nearly a century old. In 1925 Walter Hohmann proposed an elliptical orbit between the two worlds.

What is the most glaring error in The Martian?

Let's get the big one out of the way nice and early: The dust storm that sets everything in motion at the start of the movie is not accurate. Although Mars does get dust storms, the atmospheric pressure is so low that the wind is negligible, although the dust itself can be harmful.

Was there a body double in The Martian?

Matt Damon Used A Body Double Instead Of Going Christian Bale For The Martian - IMDb. It's not uncommon for an actor to change their body for a role. If they're portraying a professional athlete for instance, they may want to get into peak physical condition in order to better embody the character.

How many million miles is Watney from Earth?

Watney is an astronaut and the botanist of the Ares III mission to Mars when a storm strikes and the crew thinks he is dead. They then flee Mars to escape the storm and when Watney wakes up, he realizes that he is alone on the desolate red planet 50 million miles away from home and without any way to contact Earth.

How does the Hermes have gravity?

In science fiction

In the novel The Martian, the Hermes spacecraft achieves artificial gravity by design; it employs a ringed structure, at whose periphery forces around 40% of Earth's gravity are experienced, similar to Mars' gravity.

What is the biggest inaccuracy in The Martian?

The least plausible thing about the story was the force of Martian winds -- at less than 1% of Earth atmospheric pressure, even a big storm on Mars wouldn't lift anything other than the finest grains of dust. Both the initial accident and the flapping of the makeshift hab repair job make no sense given that fact.

Which book do the Martians never read?

Answer. Explanation: The Mother Goose - an old book of nursery rhymes saved the earth. The Martian invaders could not understand its fun and imagination.

Is the storm in The Martian realistic?

Unlike dust devils on Earth and depicted in the movie, actual Martian dust devils are wispy and thin and form from the ground up. This differs to those shown in the movie as they descend from clouds but there just simply isn't enough atmosphere for that to actually occur as tornadoes do on Earth.

How many times is the F word used in The Martian book?

Great Book.

I loved almost everything about this book, but it's definitely not appropriate for 14 year olds like Common Sense recommends. There are at least 100 "F" words and numerous other profanities.

What is the most realistic Mars movie?

The Martian (2015)

This Ridley Scott movie, based on the book by Andy Weir, follows Mark Watney (Matt Damon) as he becomes accidentally stranded on Mars and is forced to keep himself alive until a rescue mission comes.

Are there two versions of The Martian?

In June of 2016, an extended cut was released on Blu-Ray and Ultra HD 4K Blu-Ray that adds 10 additional minutes of footage: Extended footage of Watney shortly after his abandonment, waking up in the habitat.

Could trees grow on Mars?

The plants would probably be housed in a greenhouse on a Martian base, because no known forms of life can survive direct exposure to the Martian surface, with its extremely cold, thin air and sterilizing radiation. Even then, conditions in a Martian greenhouse would be beyond what ordinary plants could stand.

How many Earth days is 549 sols?

That is why Mark had to register his journey using “sols,” the scientific term for Martian days. 549 sols on Mars equals 564 Earth days. To put numbers in perspective, Mark spent more than a year and a half on Mars.

How many sols are in a day?

So if 18 Sols equals 12 hours, then 36 Sols equals 24 hours. The answer is 36 Sols. Note to Teacher: 1 Earth day equals 24x60= 1440 minutes so 1 Sol = 1 day plus 40m/ 1440m = 1.028 Earth Days.

Did Matt Damon lose lots of weight for Martian?

In the movie "The Martian," Matt Damon's character, Mark Watney, is shown as a thin and emaciated astronaut who has been stranded on Mars for an extended period. To achieve this appearance, Matt Damon did undergo significant weight loss, but it was not done through extreme dieting or health risks.

What are 3 of the many scientific inaccuracies in the movie The Martian?

Astronauts wouldn't really walk on Mars with a lower gravitational field. They would probably hop like on the moon. Dust storms on the surface of Mars wouldn't be so damaging since the atmospheric density is so low. Everyone would die of cancer due to excessive radiation.

How many F bombs are in The Martian book?

There are more than 160 swear words in Andy Weir's sci-fi thriller, “The Martian,” including two memorably deployed F-words in the novel's first three sentences. The profanity did not strike Mr. Weir as excessive when he wrote the book nearly a decade ago.

How realistic was The Martian?

Scientifically precise in some respects, and wildly inaccurate in others, The Martian offered viewers a fascinating glimpse at the chemical, geological and meteorological complications of living on Mars. In nine cases, it was even recognised by NASA for its scientific accuracy.

What swear words are in The Martian?

Why couldn t Mark grow more potatoes in The Martian?

Airlock Breach. When Airlock 1 breached, causing a gaping hole in The Hab, the potatoes were freeze dried and the bacteria in the soil assumed dead. Because of this Mark was unable to grow any more potatoes and could only eat the ones he still had with him.