Did this bother anybody else?
Grace has a Ph.D. in molecular biology, so he knows how to study cells in a lab. Fine.
He's a middle school teacher, so his repertoire of basic science facts, like the speed of light, is broader than average. Ok.
He was heavily involved with PHM, so he maybe picked up some astronaut techniques and solar system knowledge. Vague, but plausible.
But how on Earth does he have orbital mechanics calculations memorized?? Or know how to program translation software to work with an alien language??
This didn't impact my enjoyment of the story. It's only after my 22nd rewatch that it occurred to me there's an overreliance on the "smart person knows everything" trope.
Edit: I have listened to the audiobook. Yes, there is a lot of exposition that explains what Grace is doing. Still felt like a stretch that one person could know how to do all that. Best excuse is "Stratt trained him up", which is a shortcut way of saying "he's smart, just go with it."
My examples either sucked or were described poorly. Point is, Andy clearly used the Living Encyclopedia trope to make Grace a Gary Stu, capable enough to move the story forward.
Why does this bother me? I think it sets unrealistic expectations for intelligence the same way superheroes set unrealistic expectations for strength or bravery. Perhaps more challenging because Grace is more realistic than, say, Spiderman. If you are watching this with kids, it's a great conversation starter about self-expectations.