The New Plan

After the failure of the Iris probe, launched by NASA, with the purpose of suppling Mark Watney with food, NASA had pretty much given up hope on rescuing Mark form Mars. But suddenly a new idea rose, the Ares3 members who where on their way back to Earth, could receive supplies while passing by Earth and return and rescue Mark from Mars. Mark would rise out of Mar’s atmosphere using the Ares4 mission rocket, or MAV, that was sent in advance of the mission. The only problem is that it is 3500 kilometers away from Mark’s location. Mark has to travel about 90 days in a rover, so he starts to find ways to fit life essential equipment inside the rover, such as the atmospheric regulator and the oxygenator. While modifying the rover, Mark accidentally damages the computer which he used to communicate with NASA, leaving him on his own again. When Mark finally takes of towards the Ares4 rocket, NASA discovers a huge sand storm coming in the direction of Mark’s route, but they cannot do anything to warn him.

“I guess you could call it a "failure", but I prefer the term "learning experience".” (Weir 210).

Dust Storm

The reason that I think that Mark has been able to survive so long is because his personality always allows him to sees the bright side of situations. I Mark wasn’t as optimistic he might already be dead. This way of thinking has allowed him to beat the odds of surviving, solving each problem at a time. Mark Watney never admitted defeat.

“Me: “This is obviously a clog. How about I take it apart and check the internal tubing?” NASA: (after five hours of deliberation) “No. You’ll fuck it up and die.” So I took it apart.”(Weir 232).

THE MAV

This quote probably reflects another reason why Mark has been able to survive without giving up. Mark is a problem solver, even when he had contact with NASA, he did things with confidence, he never doubted himself. Unlike NASA, Mark was able to see the simplest way out of problems, as we can see in this quote. It is because of Mark’s independence that, he has been able to solve all this technical problems that NASA’s most brilliant minds had a hard time with.

I am very unsure of what is going to happen to Mark. Maybe he might get killed in the 100 mile per hour winds of the sand storm.  Not only that but the sand storm will allow less solar power to reacher the rover, making the trip longer by five times. To sum up everything, Mark Watney has literally all odds against him.