The Martian: Chapter 16 Summary & Analysis

The chapter opens with a message from Watney to Martinez. Dr. Shields has asked Watney to send personal messages to each crewmember in order to stay connected to humanity. Watney scoffs, but asks Martinez to visit his parents in Chicago and talk to them about the Mars mission if he dies. Watney says he doesn’t want to sound “lame,” but adds that Martinez is his best friend.

At the China National Space Administration, director Guo Ming sorts through paperwork. He is frustrated by all the bureaucracy created by international agreements and by the Chinese government itself. He’s planning for the launch of Taiyang Shen, an unmanned probe. His under-director, Zhu Tao, arrives and tells him the booster for Taiyang Shen has enough fuel for a Mars injection orbit—the probe could be modified to send supplies to Watney. Because of the Chinese government’s security protocol, NASA doesn’t know that the CNSA has booster that could save Watney.

Guo knows that if American and Chinese diplomats are responsible for negotiating an agreement, it won’t be resolved in time to save Watney. He decides to contact NASA and negotiate with them directly. In exchange for the booster, Guo will ask NASA to include a Chinese astronaut in the Ares 5 Mars mission. Guo calls Teddy.

Watney says very little of substance in his note to Johanssen. He asks her how she can be both beautiful and a brilliant computer nerd, then gives her tips on how to be “more cool.” He adds that Lewis had forbidden male crewmembers from “hitting on” Johanssen.

Bruce updates the JPL staff on Taiyang Shen. They have to finish the probe in 28 days; it will arrive six weeks after Watney runs out of food. Meanwhile, Rich finds Venkat and tells him that he has found a better way to save Watney—one that uses the Taiyang Shen booster in a different way. Venkat reads the plan.

In his message to Vogel, Watney reminisces about training, when Vogel bought him a beer for breakfast. He jokes that Vogel has all the hallmarks of a supervillain: he’s a German chemist with a base on Mars.

Venkat calls a secret meeting with Annie, Mitch, Teddy, and Bruce under the name “Project Elrond”—a Lord of the Rings reference. He explains that Rich has found a way to get Hermes back to Mars in time for a flyby on Sol 549. The “Rich Purnell Maneuver” uses Taiyang Shen to send Hermes a resupply probe. Watney would have to get to the Ares 4 MAV, modify it, and use it to reach Hermes. Teddy has to choose between the Purnell Maneuver and Iris 2 (the plan to send Watney food on the Taiyang Shen).

Mitch believes it’s Lewis’s right to make the decision, and he is almost certain she will say yes to the Hermes fly-by. Venkat and Teddy insist that it’s NASA’s responsibility to choose. If the Hermes flyby goes wrong and the Ares 3 crew dies, it would be the end of the Ares Program. Teddy is unwilling to risk six lives when he could make a choice that only risks one life. Mitch argues that it’s wrong to assess the options in terms of safety and risk—space travel is always high risk. The meeting ends without a decision. To avoid leaks to the press, the Purnell Maneuver is not to be discussed elsewhere.

In his note to Beck, Watney advises him to “tell Johanssen how you feel” once the Ares 3 mission his over. Watney doesn’t know if Johanssen reciprocates Beck’s feelings, but it’s clear that Beck is in love.

The next day, Venkat, Mitch, Teddy, Bruce, and Annie meet again. Teddy announces that they’ll send the Iris 2 food supply to Mars, vetoing the Purnell Maneuver. Six lives are more valuable than one. Mitch is furious. He calls Teddy a coward and accuses him of trying to cut NASA’s losses rather than attempting to save Watney’s life. In any case, Mitch argues, the crew should have the right to decide whether or not to risk their lives for Watney. Mitch storms out. Teddy apologizes for the scene, telling Annie that men are sometimes fueled by testosterone. Annie stops Teddy and tells him she thinks Mitch is right: he is a coward.

In Watney’s message to Lewis, he tells her once again not to blame herself for leaving him behind. She made a difficult decision, but she made the right one—she protected the rest of the crew. Then, he teases her about her love of disco music.

In the daily data dump, Vogel receives a corrupted data file that appears to be from his wife. When Johanssen manages to open the file, they find instructions for the Rich Purnell Maneuver. Vogel explains the maneuver to Lewis and the crew, and they discuss whether they should mutiny and carry out the maneuver against NASA’s orders. To do the maneuver, Johanssen will have to hack the ship’s control panels. Martinez and Lewis would likely be court-martialed upon their return. Lewis asks the crew to take 24 hours to think about it—but she knows everyone will say yes.

Brendan Hutch, working the night shift at NASA Mission Control receives an unscheduled status update from Hermes announcing they’re performing the Purnell Maneuver. Brendan has no idea who Purnell is or why Hermes is changing course.

Teddy calls Mitch into his office and tells him that though he has no proof, he knows Mitch sent Hermes the maneuver and will fire him the minute he has evidence. Mitch points out that Annie is going to tell the press that NASA gave the order for the maneuver—they don't want the public to know that the crew mutinied—which will make it difficult to fire him or court-martial Lewis and Martinez.