Machinedesign 8099 Martian 2 0
Machinedesign 8099 Martian 2 0
Machinedesign 8099 Martian 2 0
Machinedesign 8099 Martian 2 0
Machinedesign 8099 Martian 2 0

“The Martian”: A Fine Engineering Movie

Oct. 12, 2015
If you’re looking for a good movie that revolves around engineering, The Martian might fill the bill....

If you’re looking for a good movie that revolves around engineering, The Martian might fill the bill. The main character, an astronaut stranded alone on Mars, might not be an engineer, but he certainly knows a lot about various engineering disciplines—plus he thinks and acts like an engineer. The only reason to make him a botanist was to stay true to the novel on which the movie was based (The Martian, by Andy Weir). He should’ve been an engineer.

The movie also gets most of its science right, so I’m not going to complain about the few weak points—yet. I’ll wait until the movie goes to DVD. Nor will I spill any plot points.

I will say it would’ve been nice if the movie had come out two years sooner so it could’ve been part of Machine Design’s World’s Greatest Engineering Movie competition. We really had to look hard to find current movies that had more than a grain of legitimate engineering in them. The Martian would’ve been a contender.

There’s also a rumor floating around that NASA delayed telling the world it had discovered possible signs of liquid on Mars until the opening of the movie was close. They wanted to help publicize the movie in the hopes that it would help publicize NASA’s Mission to Mars. Ridley Scott, the director of the film, says NASA told him of the discovery two months ago. NASA also has its website currently hyping a proposed Trip to Mars and has some images that purport to show viewers where the astronaut in the movie was stranded on the Red Planet.

I guess in the long run, NASA needs all the good publicity it can get to push its manned mission to Mars. I wish them luck.

Let us know if you saw The Martian and what you thought of it.

Sponsored Recommendations

Altech's Liquid Tight Strain Relifs Catalog

March 13, 2024
With experienced Product Engineers and Customer Service personnel, Altech provides solutions to your most pressing application challenges. All with one thought in mind - to ensure...

Industrial Straight-Through Cable Gland

March 13, 2024
Learn more about Altech's cable glands and all they have to offer for your needs!

All-In-One DC-UPS Power Solutions

March 13, 2024
Introducing the All-In-One DC-UPS, a versatile solution combining multiple functionalities in a single device. Serving as a power supply, battery charger, battery care module,...

Smooth Sorting with SEW-EURODRIVE!

Feb. 22, 2024
Sorting systems are essential when it comes to warehouse automation, material handling, and distribution. SEW-EURODRIVE’s automated sorting solutions increase capacity, reliability...

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of Machine Design, create an account today!