How “Sciencey” Does Science Fiction Need To Be?

Many here strongly believe that the science in science fiction should be firmly grounded in reality. They are devotees of what’s called hard sci-fi, which emphasizes technical detail and scientific rigor. If you’ve read Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke or Catherine Asaro, you’ve read hard sci-fi. Andy Weir’s “The Martian” is a recent example.