Why does Mark have to move to the Schiaparelli Crater? [closed]

In The Martian, why does Mark have to move to the Schiaparelli Crater? How does he get there, and what is the problem with that?

plot-explanation the-martian

Best Answer

Mark has to move to the Schiaparelli Crater because it is the landing site of the next planned mission to Mars, and it has the required rocket vehicle to get him into orbit to be rescued. The rocket is placed there by Nasa in advance of the next mission.

He gets there in a modified rover vehicle. He modifies it primarily to make it able to travel further on one battery charge. Amongst other things, the modifications he makes are:

Disconnecting the electric heating for the cabin
Putting a small nuclear-isotope power generator in the cabin to provide the heat he needs to survive.
It carries a bunch of solar panels from the base.
He makes a hole in the cabin roof to create an storage bubble. For the longer journey he needs more space to store equipment and consumables like food and water.

(Many of these modifications he makes earlier in the movie, before he goes to find the Pathfinder probe)

He travels largely at night, and sleeps during the day while the battery recharges.

Apart from the technical challenges to modify the vehicle to live in for his journey, he encounters no problems in the movie. In the book he encounters many more life threatening problems.

Pictures about "Why does Mark have to move to the Schiaparelli Crater? [closed]"

Why does Mark have to move to the Schiaparelli Crater? [closed] - Back view of faceless young lady with curly hair preparing cardboard boxes for moving

Why does Mark have to move to the Schiaparelli Crater? [closed] - Various shiny yellow cabs driving on street in evening

Why does Mark have to move to the Schiaparelli Crater? [closed] - Black and white of anonymous pedestrians crossing asphalt road on zebra in city

What does Watney have to do to get to the Schiaparelli crater?

To reach the crater, he'll need to use one of the Ares 3 rovers, but these machines aren't designed to travel the thousands of kilometers required by this mission. Watney therefore sets to work redesigning the rover so it can make it a substantial distance across Mars.

What did Mark Watney find in the crater?

He found this west (above) of the crater in the form of a sort of natural ramp, which formed as a result of a landslide in the crater rim, possibly during the impact that produced the small crater.

How did NASA realize that Mark is still alive?

In the film version, they discover that he is still alive by noticing two things on the satellite imagery: The Rover has been moved from where it was parked originally (prior to the evacuation) The solar panels had been cleaned.

Where Does Mark need to go if he has any hope of being rescued?

Although Mark doesn't know that NASA's watching, he also sees Ares 4 as his only chance for escape. Of course, that'll still require him to drive about 3,200 km to Schiaparelli Crater, where the Ares 4 Hab is located. (And he'll still have to wait four years.)

Astronaut Is Forced To Live Alone On Mars After The Crew Left Him | The Martian Movie Story Recap

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Images: Ketut Subiyanto, Ketut Subiyanto, Tim Samuel, Plato Terentev