TheMartian

Author:AndyWeir
Chapter1
LOGENTRY:SOL6
Imprettymuchfucked.
Thatsmyconsideredopinion.
Fucked.
Sixdaysintowhatshouldbeagreatesttwomonthsofmylife,anditsturnedintoa
nightmare.

Idontevenknowwhollreadthis.Iguesssomeonewillfinditeventually.Maybea
hundredyearsfromnow.
FortherecordIdidntdieonSol6.CertainlytherestofthecrewthoughtIdid,andI
cantblamethem.Maybetherellbeadayofnationalmourningforme,andmy
WikipediapagewillsayMarkWatneyistheonlyhumanbeingtohavediedonMars.
Anditllberight,probably.CauseIllsurelydiehere.JustnotonSol6wheneveryone
thinksIdid.
LetsseewheredoIbegin?
TheAresprogram.MankindreachingouttoMarstosendpeopletoanotherplanetforthe
veryfirsttimeandexpandthehorizonsofhumanityblah,blah,blah.TheAres1crew
didtheirthingandcamebackheroes.Theygottheparadesandfameandloveofthe
world.
Ares2didthesamething,inadifferentlocationonMars.Theygotafirmhandshakeand
ahotcupofcoffeewhentheygothome.
Ares3.Well.Thatwasmymission.Well,notmineperse.CommanderLewiswasin
charge.Iwasjustoneofhercrew.Actually,Iwastheverylowestrankedmemberofthe
crew.IwouldonlybeincommandofthemissionifIweretheonlyremainingperson.
Whatdoyouknow?Imincommand.
Iwonderifthislogwillberecoveredbeforetherestofthecrewdieofoldage?Ipresume
theygotbacktoEarthallright.Well,guys,ifyourereadingthis:Itwasntyourfault.
Youdidwhatyouhadtodo.InyourpositionIwouldhavedonethesamething.Idont
blameyou,andImgladyousurvived.
IguessIshouldexplainhowMarsmissionswork,foranylaymanwhomaybereading
this.Wegottoearthorbitthenormalway,throughanordinaryshiptoHermes.Allthe
AresmissionsuseHermestogettoandfromMars.ItsreallybigandcostalotsoNASA
onlybuiltone.
OncewegottoHermes,fouradditionalunmannedmissionsbroughtusfuelandsupplies
whilewepreparedforourtrip.Onceeverythingwasago,wesetoutforMars.Butnot
veryfast.GonearethedaysofheavychemicalfuelburnsandtransMarsinjectionorbits.
WhatisthepurposeoftheArgon?(Theanswercanbefoundafterthisbox.)

WhatisthepurposeoftheHermes?(Lookupthisinformationonline.)

Hermesispoweredbyionengines.TheythrowArgonoutthebackoftheshipreallyfast
togetatinyamountofacceleration.Thethingis,itdoesn'ttakemuchreactantmass,soa
littleArgon(andanuclearreactortopowerthings)letusaccelerateconstantlythewhole
waythere.You'dbeamazedathowfastyoucangetgoingwithatinyaccelerationovera
longtime.
Icouldregaleyouwithtalesofhowwehadgreatfunonthetrip,butIwont.Wedid
havefun,butIdontfeellikerelivingitrightnow.SufficeittosaywegottoMars124
dayslaterwithoutstranglingeachother.
Fromthere,wetooktheMDV(MarsDescentVehicle)tothesurface.TheMDVis
basicallyabigcanwithsomelightthrustersandparachutesattached.Itssolepurposeis
togetsixhumansfromMarsorbittothesurfacewithoutkillinganyofthem.
Drawapictureoftheionengineandwrite23sentencesabouthowitworks.Youwill
needtolookthisinformationuponline.

AndnowwecometotherealtrickofMarsexploration:Havingallourshittherein
advance.
Atotalof14unmannedmissionsdepositedeverythingwewouldneedforsurface
operations.Theytriedtheirbesttolandallthesupplyvesselsinthesamegeneralarea,
anddidareasonablygoodjob.Suppliesarentnearlysofragileashumansandcanhitthe
groundreallyhard.Buttheytendedtobouncearoundalot.
Naturally,theydidntsendustoMarsuntiltheydconfirmedallthesupplieshadmadeit
tothesurfaceandtheircontainerswerentbreached.Starttofinish,includingsupply
missions,aMarsmissiontakesabout3years.Infact,therewereAres3suppliesenroute
toMarswhiletheAres2crewwereontheirwayhome.
WhydoyouthinkNASAsentmaterialsviaseveralunmannedmissionsinadvance,
versussendingonebigmannedmissionwithallthesupplies?

Whatmaterialsdoyouthinkaretransportedduringtheseunmannedmissions?Think
carefully.Thiswillhelpyouwithyourproject.

Themostimportantpieceoftheadvancesupplies,ofcourse,wastheMAV.TheMars
AscentVehicle.ThatwashowwewouldgetbacktoHermesaftersurfaceoperations
werecomplete.TheMAVwassoftlanded(asopposedtotheballoonbouncefestthe
othersupplieshad).Ofcourse,itwasinconstantcommunicationwithHouston,andif
therewereanyproblemswithit,wewouldpassbyMarsandgobacktoEarthwithout
everlanding.
TheMAVisprettycool.Turnsout,throughaneatsetofchemicalreactionswiththe
Martianatmosphere,foreverykilogramofhydrogenyoubringtoMars,youcanmake13
kilogramsoffuel.Itsaslowprocess,though.Ittakes24monthstofillthetank.Thats
whytheysentitlongbeforewegothere.
YoucanimaginehowdisappointedIwaswhenIdiscoveredtheMAVwasgone.
Itwasaridiculoussequenceofeventsthatledtomealmostdying.Thenanevenmore
ridiculoussequencethatledtomesurviving.
Themissionisdesignedtohandlesandstormgustsupto150km/hr.SoHoustongot
understandablynervouswhenwegotwhackedwith175km/hrwinds.Weallgotinour
suitsandhuddledinthemiddleoftheHab,justincaseitlostpressure.ButtheHab
wasnttheproblem.
TheMAVisaspaceship.Ithasalotofdelicateparts.Itcanputupwithstormstoa
certainextentbutitcantjustgetsandblastedforever.Afteranhourandahalfof
sustainedwind,NASAgavetheordertoabort.Nobodywantedtostopamonthlong
missionafteronlysixdaysbutiftheMAVtookanymorepunishmentwedallget
strandeddownhere.
WehadtogooutinthestormtogetfromtheHabtotheMAV.Thatwasgoingtobe
risky,butwhatchoicedidwehave?
Everyonemadeitbutme.
WhatisaMAV?Whatisitspurpose?

Ourmaincommunicationsdish,whichrelayedsignalsfromtheHabtoHermes,acted
likeaparachute,gettingtornfromitsfoundationandcarriedwiththetorrent.Alongthe
way,itcrashedthroughthereceptionantennaarray.Thenoneofthoselongthinantennae
slammedintomeendfirst.IttorethroughmysuitlikeabulletthroughbutterandIfelt
theworstpainofmylifeasitrippedopenmyside.Ivaguelyremembersuddenlyhaving
thewindknockedoutofme(pulledoutofme,really)andmyearspoppingpainfullyas
thepressureofmysuitescaped.
ThelastthingIrememberwasseeingJohanssenhopelesslyreachingouttowardme.
Iawoketotheoxygenalarminmysuit.Asteady,obnoxiousbeepingthateventually
rousedmefromadeepandprofounddesiretojustfuckingdie.
Thestormhadabated;Iwasfacedown,almosttotallyburiedinsand.AsIgroggilycame
to,IwonderedwhyIwasntmoredead.
Theantennahadenoughforcetopunchthroughthesuitandmyside,butthenitgot
stoppedbymypelvis.Sotherewasonlyoneholeinthesuit(andaholeinme,ofcourse).
Ihadbeenknockedbackquiteawaysandrolleddownasteephill.SomehowIlanded
facedown,whichforcedtheantennatoastronglyobliqueanglethatputalotoftorque
ontheholeinthesuit.Itmadeaweakseal.
HowdotheastronautsrelayinformationbacktoEarthandtheHermes?Whatdothey
use?

Then,thecopiousbloodfrommywoundtrickleddowntowardthehole.Astheblood
reachedthesiteofthebreach,thewaterinitquicklyevaporatedfromtheairflowandlow
pressure,leavingonlyagunkyresiduebehind.Morebloodcameinbehinditandwas
alsoreducedtogunk.Eventually,thebloodsealedthegapsaroundtheholeandreduced
theleaktosomethingthesuitcouldcounteract.
Thesuitdiditsjobadmirably.Seeingthedropinpressure,itconstantlyfloodeditself
withairfrommynitrogentanktoequalize.Oncetheleakbecamemanageable,itonly
hadtotricklenewairinslowlytherelievetheairlost.
Afterawhile,theCO2(carbondioxide)absorbersinthesuitwereexpended.Thats
reallythelimitingfactortolifesupport.Nottheamountofoxygenyoubringwithyou,
buttheamountofCO2youcanremove.IntheHab,wehadtheOxygenator,alargepiece
ofequipmentthatcouldbreakCO2apartandgivetheoxygenback.Butthespacesuits
hadtobeportable,sotheyusedasimplechemicalabsorptionprocesswithexpendable
filters.Idbeenasleeplongenoughthatmyfilterswereuseless.
Thesuitsawthisproblemandmovedintoanemergencymodetheengineerscall
bloodletting.HavingnowaytoseparateouttheCO2,thesuitdeliberatelyventedairto
theMartianatmosphere,thenbackfilledwithnitrogen.Betweenthebreachandthe
bloodletting,itquicklyranoutofnitrogen.Allithadleftwasmyoxygentank.
Soitdidtheonlythingitcouldtokeepmealive.Itstartedbackfillingwithpureoxygen.
Inowriskeddyingfromoxygentoxicity,astheexcessivelyhighamountofoxygen
threatenedtoburnupmynervoussystem,lungs,andeyes.Anironicdeathforsomeone
withaleakyspacesuit:toomuchoxygen.
Everystepofthewaywouldhavehadbeepingalarms,alerts,andwarnings.Butitwas
thehighoxygenwarningthatwokeme.
Thesheervolumeoftrainingforaspacemissionisastounding.Ispentaweekbackon
Earthpracticingemergencyspacesuitdrills.Iknewwhattodo.
Carefullyreachingtothesideofmyhelmet,Igotthebreachkit.Itsnothingmorethana
funnelwithavalveatthesmallend,andanunbelievablystickyresinonthewideend.
Theideaisyouhavethevalveopenandstickthewideendoverahole.Theaircan
escapethroughthevalve,soitdoesntinterferewiththeresinmakingagoodseal.Then
youclosethevalveandyouvesealedthebreach.
WhatdoesMarkusetohelpbreakapartCO2?Howdoesthisgadgetwork?

Thetrickypartwasgettingtheantennaoutoftheway.IpulleditoutasfastasIcould,
wincingasthesuddenpressuredropdizziedmeandmadethewoundinmysidescream
inagony.
Igotthebreachkitovertheholeandsealedit.Itheld.Thesuitbackfilledthemissingair
withyetmoreoxygen.Checkingmyarmreadouts,Isawthesuitwasnowat85%
oxygen.Forreference,Earthsatmosphereisabout21%.Idbeok,solongasIdidnt
spendtoomuchtimelikethat.
IstumbledupthehillbacktowardtheHab.AsIcrestedtherise,Isawsomethingthat
mademeveryhappyandsomethingthatmademeverysad:TheHabwasintact(yay!)
andtheMAVwasgone(boo!).
RightthatmomentIknewIwasscrewed.ButIdidntwanttojustdieoutonthesurface.
IlimpedbacktotheHabandfumbledmywayintoanairlock.Assoonasitequalized,I
threwoffmyhelmet.
EnteringtheHab,Idoffedthesuitandgotmyfirstgoodlookattheinjury.Itwouldneed
stitches.Fortunately,allofushadbeentrainedinbasicmedicalprocedures,andtheHab
hadexcellentmedicalsupplies.Aquickshotoflocalanesthetic,irrigatethewound,9
stitchesandIwasdone.Idbetakingantibioticsforacoupleofweeks,butotherthanthat
Idbefine.
Iknewitwashopeless,butItriedfiringupthecommunicationarray.Nosignal,of
course.Theprimarysatellitedishhadbrokenoff,remember?Andittookthereception
antennaewithit.TheHabhadsecondaryandtertiarycommunicationsystems,butthey
werebothjustfortalkingtotheMAV,whichwoulduseitsmuchmorepowerfulsystems
torelaytoHermes.Thingis,thatonlyworksiftheMAVisstillaround.
WhatdoyouthinkMarkcandotoreducetheamountofoxygenheuses?

IhadnowaytotalktoHermes.Intime,Icouldlocatethedishoutonthesurface,butit
wouldtakeweeksformetorigupanyrepairs,andthatwouldbetoolate.Inanabort,
Hermeswouldleaveorbitwithin24hours.Theorbitaldynamicsmadethetripsaferand
shortertheearlieryouleft,sowhywaitfornoreasonjusttomakethetriptakelonger?
Checkingoutmysuit,Isawtheantennahadplowedthroughmybiomonitorcomputer.
WhenonanEVA,allthecrewssuitsarenetworkedsowecanseeeachothersstatus.
Therestofthecrewwouldhaveseenthepressureinmysuitdroptonearly0,followed
immediatelybymybiosignsgoingflat.AddtothatIwassenttumblingdownahillwith
aspearthroughmeinthemiddleofasandstormyeah.TheythoughtIwasdead.How
couldtheynot?
Theymayhaveevenhadabriefdiscussionaboutrecoveringmybody,butregulations
wereclear.IntheeventacrewmandiedonMars,hestayedonMars.Leavinghisbody
behindreducedweightfortheMAVonthetripback.Thatmeantmoredisposablefuel
andalargermarginoferrorforthereturnthrust.Nopointingivingthatupfor
sentimentality.
Sothatsthesituation.ImstrandedonMars.Ihavenowaytocommunicatewith
HermesorEarth.EveryonethinksImdead.IminaHabdesignedtolast31days.
IftheOxygenatorbreaksdown,Illsuffocate.IftheWaterReclaimerbreaksdown,Ill
dieofthirst.IftheHabbreaches,Illjustkindofexplode.Ifnoneofthosethingshappen,
Illeventuallyrunoutoffoodandstarvetodeath.
Soyeah.Imfucked.