The Martian

The Martian (2015)

1 answered question since 15 Jan '25, 09:09

(9 votes)

Question: Watney digs up the plutonium and places it in the rover. Why is the rover so cold later after the HAB blows up?

Answer: Watney used the RTG to heat the Rover for the trip to get Pathfinder. When he got back, he re-buried the RTG because he didn't need it while at the Hab (not travelling long distances) - hence the cold scene you noticed. Then later, when he goes on the even longer trip to the Ares 4 MAV, he digs up the RTG a second time and brings it along.

Aerinah

Answer: He used the RTG to warm the rover on his trip to get Pathfinder. Once he returned he buried it again, since it posed a radiation hazard.

Grumpy Scot

I rechecked the book. He did NOT rebury it. In fact, he tore out extra insulation inside the rover so the interior would not get too warm during his upcoming trip to the other landing site. The RTG was, in fact, an integral part of his equipment for the journey. However, by tearing out an appropriate amount of insulation, he pointed out that the heat from the RTG would leak out some during regular operation. But sitting unoccupied for a while, enough heat might have leaked out to make it chilly.

Smokyoak

Answer: Is that mentioned in the book? Don't remember it being mentioned, but I can recheck.

Smokyoak

Factual error: When the crew is walking around the area of the Hermes with artificial gravity created by spinning the ship, the angle of the crew members' bodies should be perpendicular to the curved floor of the ship. However, in multiple shots, the crew standing at different locations of the room are seen standing at the same angle, directly upright.

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Mark Watney: I admit it's fatally dangerous, but I'd get to fly around like Iron Man.

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Trivia: When discussing "Operation Elrond", the Director says he wants his codename to be "Glorfindel." This shows he has read the book, as Glorfindel was cut out of the movie and replaced with Arwen.

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Answer: In the book, he's stranded on sol 6, and leaves on sol 549, making it 543 sols (554 days). In the movie, he's stranded on Sol 18 and leaves on sol 561, making it 542 sols.

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