If you have yet to see the new film
The Martian you should ignore this post. But if you have seen the movie, maybe you too wondered about the Chinese assistance to NASA. Having the future Chinese assist with a rescue mission to Mars is not the issue. What I wonder is why the Russians were not consulted since they are far ahead of the Chinese today and would presumably be in the same position in the future.
And what about private ventures such as SpaceX and others? Are we to presume NASA was the only game in town? If so, this is a bleak view of the future. I won't even mention Mars One (since maybe that mission was already dead on another side of the planet - or still in orbit).
Maybe the book explains these things, but I am hoping the future does not depend on only one or two government programs.
