Literature
How Mark Watney Obtained Hydrogen in The Martian
How Mark Watney Obtained Hydrogen in The Martian
In the compelling narrative of The Martian, author Andy Weir minutely details the survival strategies of Mark Watney on the Red Planet. Hydrogen plays a critical role in Watney's survival, eventually becoming a vital component for his fuel needs. This article delves into the steps Watney took to obtain hydrogen through the electrolysis of water, exploring the scientific techniques and resourcefulness required to sustain his mission.
Resourceful Survival: Watney's Hydrogen Extraction Technique
Initially, Watney faced the daunting task of extracting hydrogen on Mars. His initial attempt involved retrieving water from the Martian soil and using hydrogen to react with carbon dioxide (CO2) to produce methane (CH4), which served as his primary fuel. However, by the later stages of the mission, Watney became desperate to obtain hydrogen for his Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV)'s fuel plant. To address this pressing need, he utilized water, a staple resource he brought from the Hab, his Martian habitat.
Watney devised a convoluted yet effective process, influenced by the age-old wisdom of the Rube Goldberg machine. This system involved several intricate steps:
Step 1: Electrolyzing Water Using the Rover
Watney first electrolyzed water within the Rover, a compact vehicle designed for mobility. By passing an electric current through the water, he produced hydrogen and oxygen.
Step 2: Isolating Hydrogen
To isolate the hydrogen, Watney employed the Rover's atmospheric regulator. This device functioned to remove oxygen and other gases from the Rover's atmosphere, leaving behind only hydrogen. The atmospheric regulator was specifically chosen because it was not equipped to remove hydrogen from the atmosphere, capitalizing on the gas's low boiling point, which made freeze-separation impossible.
Step 3: Depressurizing the Rover
Utilizing the Rover's airlock mechanism, Watney depressurized the vehicle, pulling the hydrogen into a separate tank attached to the airlock. This essential step ensured the hydrogen remained pure and isolated.
Step 4: Transporting Hydrogen to the MAV
Fully charged with hydrogen, Watney then made the trek to the MAV (Mars Ascent Vehicle) and emptied the tank into its fuel plant. This act was critical for powering his mission to return to Earth.
The process was not only painstaking but also risky. At every step, Watney had to be meticulous, ensuring no impurities contaminated the hydrogen to maintain fuel efficiency. The potential for failure was ever-present, but Watney's resourcefulness kept him afloat during a mission fraught with peril.
Strategic Necessity: The Importance of Hydrogen in Delta-Vee
Watney's hydrogen production was not just an exercise in resourcefulness but a strategic necessity. Hydrogen, when combined with carbon dioxide, could produce methane and oxygen. Methane, as a fuel, was crucial for the MAV's operations. Each kilogram of fuel produced represented additional delta-vee—essentially, the velocity change the MAV could achieve. Delta-vee was critical for successfully navigating Mars’ gravitational pull and achieving a rendezvous with the Hermes spacecraft on Earth's trajectory.
Watney’s need for hydrogen was heightened as he sought to maximize the MAV's performance. Given the reduced payload and the need for precision in trajectory, every kilogram of additional fuel could mean the difference between failure and success. The irony was not lost on Watney when he quipped, "If I make it back alive, I'll tell everyone I was pissing rocket fuel," referring to his use of urine to extract hydrogen.
NASA's Role in Hydrogen Production
Simon McCallum, the lead Mars habitat designer, and the Mission Control team at NASA provided crucial guidance. They instructed Watney to electrolyze almost all his remaining water resources, leaving just enough for drinking. Additionally, Watney was tasked with electrolyzing his urine, a measure that underscores the extremity of his situation and the extent to which he had to rely on unconventional resources for survival.
The cooperation between Watney and NASA exemplified their shared goal: to ensure the mission's success and Watney's safe return. Through collaborative efforts, they were able to adapt and innovate, ultimately turning the technological and scientific challenges into potential solutions.
Conclusion
The resourcefulness of Mark Watney in obtaining hydrogen through electrolysis and the critical role it played in his survival and mission success provide a compelling insight into the challenges of space exploration and the ingenuity required to overcome them. Watney's story is more than just a novel; it serves as a testament to human perseverance and the power of science in the face of adversity.