The Martian

The Martian (2015)

1 answered question since 15 Jan '25, 12:00

(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

Other mistake: During the storm scene in the beginning of the movie, the astronauts' faces inside the helmets are brightly lit, meaning there's a light source pointed directly in their face. That's something that would render them mostly blind and unable to see and appears to be nothing but a dramatic effect for the camera. (00:05:00 - 00:08:00)

More mistakes in The Martian

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

More quotes from The Martian

Trivia: The secret project created to use the Hermes to return to Mars to rescue Watney was called Project Elrond, a reference from the Lord of the Rings (also used in the original book of The Martian). Mitch Henderson, played by Sean Bean, was an attendee at the Project Elrond meeting. Sean Bean also played Boromir, who was an attendee at the Council of Elrond in the LOTR movie.

Blathrop

More trivia for The Martian

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.

More questions & answers from The Martian

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