MovieChat Forums > The Martian (2015) Discussion > Did I miss a detail?

Did I miss a detail?

posted 7 years ago by Hans-Wilhelm (1372)
5 replies | jump to latest

They had everything pre-planned and had been running all of the numbers and calculations through their supercomputer and the rescue was deemed doable with a chance for success.

Why did the pickup at Mars end up being off by so much? They were too fast than Mark was not high enough to reach the Hermes. Why? Did it explain why they went to all of that trouble, he lightens the ship, blasts off to meet the Hermes and then suddenly he can't reach them?

Just Hollywood "drama" or did the lay out the reasons and I didn't catch the detail?

[–] marecek (122) 7 years ago

I think the detail you didn't catch was that they were executing a shot in the dark, sending this rocket into orbit in an untested with an entirely different weight than usual, so much equipment etc. tossed overboard and, as Mark says, turning it into a "convertible". The fact that they were even remotely close has to be seen as a miracle.

[–] PaladinNJ (21784) 7 years ago

[deleted]

[–] gbu (585) 5 years ago

I think it was because the parachute covering of the nose cone came away, they expected little resistance with the thinner atmosphere with that in place but it broke its tether and that slowed the ship down ever so slightly thus put the projections off so couldn't quite reach him in time.

[–] PaladinNJ (21784) 3 years ago

You are correct. They explained that in better detail in the book.

[–] Burk48917 (11536) 2 years ago

Thank you. I couldn't figure it out either.