Contents
Chapter 22
Overview
Watney makes steady progress through Mawrth Vallis into Arabia Terra, navigating with a homemade sextant and Phobos timings while threading between major craters. As NASA and Hermes track an advancing dust storm, declining solar output and asymmetric visibility near Marth Crater lead Watney to realize he is inside the storm. He stops to formulate a plan, raising urgent stakes for power and survival en route to Schiaparelli.
Summary
On Sol 458, Mark Watney reaches Mawrth Vallis and appreciates the easy, flat canyon as a psychological milestone. He contrasts routine driving days with “Air Days,” which serve as rest and recharge intervals. He reflects on leaving Acidalia behind and focuses on getting home.
Meanwhile on Earth, CNN interviews Venkat Kapoor, who confirms an unrelenting dust storm in Arabia Terra that will severely limit sunlight. NASA predicts Watney will unknowingly enter it within twelve sols, as the dimming will be too gradual to notice.
By Sol 462, Watney reports smooth progress and explains his navigation: nightly latitude checks by sighting Deneb with a homemade sextant, and longitude from timed Phobos transits. Mindy Park decodes his rock-Morse messages and notes he is still on track, with five sols to the storm’s edge.
On Sol 466, Watney climbs out of Mawrth Vallis into Arabia Terra, where large craters demand careful routing to avoid dangerous slopes. He aims to pass between Rutherford and Trouvelot and succeeds by Sol 468. He continues collecting labeled samples, expects to skirt Marth Crater to the south, and notes slightly reduced solar output. Aboard Hermes, Commander Lewis and Martinez discuss the storm; Lewis fears Watney won’t reach Schiaparelli, while Martinez insists he will.
On Sol 473, Watney traverses the “Watney Triangle” of craters and identifies a clear descent landmark into Schiaparelli (an unnamed “Entrance Crater”). The next day, he mis-navigates and arrives at Marth’s rim, delaying to reacquire position data as solar panels underperform again.
On Sol 475, after confirming he hit Marth dead-on, Watney climbs to the rim for perspective and notices asymmetric visibility—clearer west, hazier east. Coupled with days of declining solar output, he deduces he’s inside a dust storm thickening toward Schiaparelli. Recognizing the storm’s mobility and the risk of power starvation, he halts to devise a new plan. Mindy Park sees his camp still intact and relays his Morse: “DUST STORM. MAKING PLAN.”
Who Appears
- Mark WatneyAstronaut crossing Mawrth Vallis into Arabia Terra; navigates via sextant and Phobos; misroutes at Marth, deduces he’s inside a dust storm, and pauses to plan.
- Mindy ParkJPL satellite operator decoding Watney’s Morse updates; notes schedule shift and relays his dust-storm warning.
- Venkat KapoorNASA director explaining storm risks on CNN; outlines why Watney may not notice the gradual dimming.
- Cathy WarnerCNN anchor interviewing Venkat about the storm’s threat and Watney’s prospects.
- Commander Melissa LewisHermes commander confronting the possibility Watney won’t reach Schiaparelli; determined to maintain crew morale.
- Rick MartinezHermes pilot expressing confidence Watney will survive despite the storm; boosts morale in conversation with Lewis.