WEIR: “Originally the book was just a serial I posted a chapter at a time to my website. RS: Your book had an unusual journey from concept to being picked up by a major publisher. It’s not really surprising, right? A nerd who’s interested in space?”

How does a programmer get interested in designing Mars missions?Īndy WEIR: “I’ve just had a lifelong love of space and the space program. RocketSTEM: I understand that most of your professional career has been as a computer programmer. As well as learn a couple of details about his next book. We recently had the opportunity to ask the author a few questions about the book and his experiences since then. Lofty expectations indeed for a book that relies on science fact as opposed to science fiction. It is being hailed as a potential ignitor of STEM education and renewed interest by the general public in space exploration. The book has become nearly required reading for NASA astronauts, engineers, scientists and others working for the space agency. Now the book has been turned into a motion picture and is earning rave reviews just like the book upon which it is based. A book that has come all the way from Weir posting chapters for free on his website in 2011, to being picked up by a major publisher and topping the New York Times Best Seller List. Such is the opening to the description of Andy Weir’s book The Martian.

Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls “Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars. Now, he’s sure he’ll be the first person to die there.” The movie portrays a realistic view of the climate and topography of Mars, based on NASA data, and some of the challenges NASA faces as we prepare for human exploration of the Red Planet in the 2030s. NASA scientists and engineers served as technical consultants on the film. 18, 2015, at the United Artist Theater in La Cañada Flintridge, California. NASA astronaut Drew Feustel, left, actor Matt Damon, film director Ridley Scott, author Andy Weir, and NASA Director of the Planetary Science, Jim Green, participate in a question and answer session about NASA’s journey to Mars and the film ”The Martian,” Tuesday, Aug.

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