Drilling Quote by Andy Weir
““With today's work, I'm about one-fourth of the way through the whole cut. At least, one-fourth of the way through the drilling. Then I'll have 759 little chunks to chisel out. And I'm not sure how well carbon composite is going to take that. But NASA'll do it a thousand times back on Earth and tell me the best way to get it done.””
About This Quote
Source Interview: Reddit AMA, 2018
The speaker describes a complex engineering task, noting uncertainty about material performance and reliance on NASA’s expertise.
In simple terms: He’s tackling a tough project and trusts NASA’s experience.
Key Takeaway
Seek expert guidance when facing unknowns.
Themes
engineering
uncertainty
expertise
Mood
cautious
determined
Type
practical
technical
When to use this quote
- spacecraft construction
- prototype development
- material testing
Key Concepts
material science
problem solving
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you mitigate risks with untested materials?
- What expertise can you consult?
A Different Perspective
Material behavior may differ at scale.
![“[11:49] JPL: What we can see of your planned cut looks good. We’re assuming the other side is identical. You’re cleared to start drilling. [12:07] Watney: That’s what she said. [12:25] JPL: Seriously, Mark? Seriously?” quote by Andy Weir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/cd2/andy-weir-1865_drilling_11-49-jpl-what-we-can-see-of-your-planne_299247.jpg)
