To get to the part you are looking for, that rc dude provided a link for the whole book (early version before Weir sold it to a publisher), use this link for the ending:
https://www.freebooksvampire.org/science_fiction/The-Martian-by-Andy-Weir/67.html
Near the bottom. Once on that page, do a search for the word "public" and that will take you to the epilogue.
Interesting that some details that original epilogue ending is actually in the movie.
BTW - You know how sometimes you see a movie, and then much later you see it, and it does not hold up?
Well, The Martian held up well, after a whopping 3 days between seeing it the first and second time.
First time Thursday night was a 10:15 3D showing, there were only a handful of people (Movie officially opened the next day, it was late, and not as many spring the extra $ for 3D). So, that was good for seeing it without distractions from others. But for the second viewing I decided to see it with a big audience, so went for Sunday afternoon. The theater has reserved seating, I have my favorite spot, and a guy sat down right next to me, his favorite spot too. Mid-40's also a space fan. We talked a bit about real Mars missions, the shuttle, SpaceX
.and then the movie started.
And as I said, it holds up.
Next time I see it, maybe a couple of weeks, during a $5 Tuesday viewing.
Then I'll start counting down to Star Wars Episode 7. But I'll let someone else take the lead in a thread about that. Also hopefully by the end of November, SpaceX Falcon RTF, and more tries for the first stage barge landings.
- George Gassaway