In 2035, more than a decade into the future, humans have finally landed on Mars. It is Sol 16 (Martian days) of Ares 3, the third mission out of 5 to the moon. Astronaut Mark Watney is one of the four astronauts sent on the mission, and he is only to take charge if he is the only one left. By the end of the day, he's in command.
A huge dust storm billows up, covering the Hab (a massive tent-like house), which lies in Acidalia Planitia. The wind begins to tip the MAV (Mars Ascent Vehicle). This is critical because the MAV is the only way to get home. When it begins to tip too far, NASA aborts the mission and the astronauts leave the Hab in their spacesuits. On the way to the MAV, Watney is hit by a broken section of the communications system, which decompresses his suit. This would all but certainly kill him, and when they can't find his body, the crew has no choice but to leave.
