Hermes Resupply and Rescue

Lore & Background

The rescue culminated in a tense orbital rendezvous. Watney launched in the modified MAV, which had to shed weight to reach the required velocity. A last-minute malfunction nearly caused disaster, but he jury-rigged a solution. The Hermes crew performed a delicate intercept, using a spacewalk to grab Watney as he flew past. The success of the mission demonstrated the power of human collaboration and problem-solving under extreme pressure.

In Their Own Story

Commander Lewis watched the telemetry from the bridge of the Hermes, her jaw tight. The MAV's trajectory was off—Watney was going to overshoot by kilometers. She had seconds to decide. 'We're going to have to catch him,' she said, her voice flat but final. The crew scrambled to prep a spacewalk, knowing that if they missed, Watney would tumble into the black, his suit beacon blinking until the batteries died. As the MAV hurtled past like a thrown dart, Lewis fired the thrusters, matching its velocity with a burn that rattled the hull. Watney burst from the hatch, his faceplate fogged, and with a final, desperate grab—Martinez's gloved hand locking onto his tether—they hauled him inside. The cabin erupted in cheers, but Lewis just smiled, thinking of the long journey home, and the empty seat that would now be filled.

Reader's Guide

The rescue begins with Watney's survival being discovered. NASA plans a supply drop using a probe, but delays force a more ambitious plan. The Hermes, already returning to Earth, must be resupplied and sent back to Mars. A Chinese booster is used to launch the supply probe, which rendezvouses with Hermes. Meanwhile, Watney prepares the MAV for launch, stripping it down to reduce weight—ripping out seats, panels, even the toilet, knowing he'll have to hold it for hours. The rescue involves a gravity assist from Earth to slingshot Hermes back to Mars. The MAV launches, but a pressure leak nearly kills Watney; he patches it with his own glove. He launches, but the trajectory is off. The Hermes crew performs a risky intercept, with Lewis maneuvering the ship and Martinez executing a spacewalk to grab Watney as he flies past at a relative speed of nearly 10 meters per second. The rescue succeeds, and the crew returns to Earth, with Watney becoming a symbol of human resilience.

Did You Know?

• The rescue plan was inspired by a real NASA concept called the 'Mars Direct' mission architecture.
• The Chinese booster used in the rescue was based on the Long March rocket family.
• Watney's improvised MAV modification involved using his own feces as a radiation shield—a desperate, foul-smelling solution that actually worked.